Where does “obsession” come from?
Obsession comes from Latin obsessio, formed from the prefix ob- and the root sed- meaning "to sit," denoting a persistent state of being besieged or occupied.
obsession (English): A compulsive or irrational preoccupation; An...
Definitions
- A compulsive or irrational preoccupation; An...
Ancestry of “obsession”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Latin | obsessiō | blockade, siege |
| 2 | Latin | obsidere | present active infinitive of obsideō;... |
| 3 | Latin | obsideo | I sit, remain, abide, stay; I frequent, haunt,... |
| 4 | Latin | ob- | towards; against |
| 5 | Latin | obolus | obolus (Greek coin) |
| 6 | Ancient Greek | ὀβολός | obol, obolus, used at Athens as both a weight and... |
| 7 | Ancient Greek | ὀβελός | a spit, rod; a horizontal line |
| 8 | Ancient Greek | βέλος | missile, arrow, dart; weapon; something quickly... |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | gʷélHos | — |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | gʷelH- | to throw, reach, pierce; to hit by throwing |