Where does “overcome” come from?
Overcome comes from Middle English overcomen, from Old English ofercuman, combining the prefix ofer- with a verb derived from Proto-Germanic kwemaną and ultimately Proto-Indo-European gʷem-, meaning to come or arrive.
overcome (English): To surmount (a physical or abstract obstacle); to prevail over, to get the better of
Definitions
- To surmount (a physical or abstract obstacle); to prevail over, to get the better of
Ancestry of “overcome”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | overcomen | — |
| 2 | Old English | ofercuman | to overcome or overtake; to win or be victorious |
| 3 | Old English | ōfer | riverbank, seashore, brink, edge, margin, border |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | obar | over, above |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | uber | over; over, above |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | upér | above; over |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | upó | under, below |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | h₃ewp- | — |