Where does “souple” come from?
souple (Middle English) comes from Old French souple, from Latin supplex, from Latin supplicō, from Latin sub-, from Proto-Indo-European upó, from Proto-Indo-European h₃ewp-.
souple (Middle English): flexible; supple
Definitions
- flexible; supple
Ancestry of “souple”, step by step
souple traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Old French souple
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old French | souple | supple |
| 2 | Latin | supplex | kneeling; begging; suppliant |
| 3 | Latin | supplicō | to pray or supplicate |
| 4 | Latin | sub- | under, sub |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | upó | under, below |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | h₃ewp- | — |
via Anglo-Norman souple
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Anglo-Norman | souple | supple |