Etymology Explorer › Spanish

Where does “suspense” come from?

suspense (Spanish) comes from French suspense, from English suspense, from Middle English suspense, from Old French suspens, from Latin suspensus, from Latin suspendo, from Latin pendēre, from Latin pendō — to stretch.

suspense (Spanish): suspense; thriller

Definitions

  1. suspense; thriller

Ancestry of “suspense”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Frenchsuspensesuspense
2EnglishsuspenseThe condition of being suspended; cessation for a...
3Middle Englishsuspense—
4Old Frenchsuspenspostponement; suspension
5Latinsuspensussuspended; anxious; in suspense
6LatinsuspendoI hang up or suspend
7Latinpendēre—
8Latinpendō—
9Proto-Italicpendōhang, put in a hanging position
10Proto-Indo-European(s)péndeti—
11Proto-Indo-European(s)pend-to stretch
Every word from Proto-Indo-European (s)pend- →