Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “frustrate” come from?

Frustrate derives from Latin frustratus, past participle of frustro meaning to deceive or disappoint, from frustra meaning in vain, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European dʰrewgʰ- and dʰer-.

frustrate (English): To disappoint or defeat; to vex by depriving of...

Definitions

  1. To disappoint or defeat; to vex by depriving of...

Ancestry of “frustrate”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Latinfrustratus
2Latinfrūstror—
3Latinfrustrain deception, in error; without effect, to no...
4LatinfrausA cheating, deceit, guile, fraud; A delusion,...
5Proto-Indo-Europeandʰrewgʰ-to deceive, to mislead; to serve one's tribe;...
6Proto-Indo-Europeandʰer-to support; to hold

Words derived from “frustrate”

  • frustrating
  • frustratingly
  • frustrative
  • frustrateth
  • frustrater
  • frustrately
  • frustratest
  • frustratee
  • frustration
  • frustrere
Every word from Proto-Indo-European dʰer- →