overshadow

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   To make someone or something seem less important by being more impressive or noticeable.

   Her younger brother's success overshadowed her own achievements.

2. 2
   verb

   To spoil an event or occasion by making it seem less happy or important.

   The good news was overshadowed by the tragedy.

From Middle English overschadwen, overschadewe, from Old English ofersċeadwian (“to overshadow”), equivalent to over- + shadow. Compare with West Frisian oerskaduwe (“to overshadow”), Dutch overschaduwen (“to overshadow”), German überschatten (“to overshadow”), Gothic 𐌿𐍆𐌰𐍂𐍃𐌺𐌰𐌳𐍅𐌾𐌰𐌽 (ufarskadwjan, “to overshadow”), and more distantly, Old Norse yfirskyggja (“to overshadow”), Danish overskygge (“to overshadow”), Swedish överskugga (“to overshadow”), Old English ofersċūwan (“to overshadow”).

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