overturn

B2 Topic:Actions & Processes

US /ˌəʊvə(ɹ)ˈtɜː(ɹ)n/ See IPA manual

Freq #25949

Meanings

1

verb
To officially change or cancel a decision, especially a legal one.

The court overturned the earlier ruling.
2

verb
To turn something over, or to be turned over, often by accident.

The boat overturned in the rough water.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to officially change or... overrule reverse override

2 verb · to turn something over, or... tip overturn over capsize

Word family

Forms overturnedoverturningoverturns

Derived forms overturnableoverturner

Etymology

From Middle English overturnen, equivalent to over- + turn. Compare also Middle English overterven (“to overturn”), see terve.

*terh₁- Proto-Indo-European overturnen Middle English

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes

External links

# overturn

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B2
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /ˌəʊvə(ɹ)ˈtɜː(ɹ)n/
**Frequency rank:** 25949

## Meanings
1. To officially change or cancel a decision, especially a legal one.
2. To turn something over, or to be turned over, often by accident.

## Examples
- The court overturned the earlier ruling.
- The boat overturned in the rough water.

## Derived Forms
- overturnable
- overturner

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *terh₁-
- Root: overturnen

## Etymology
From Middle English overturnen, equivalent to over- + turn. Compare also Middle English overterven (“to overturn”), see terve.

## AI Etymology
Overturn comes from Middle English overturnen, equivalent to over- + turn. Compare also Middle English overterven (“to overturn”), see terve. The historical chain includes Proto-Indo-European *terh₁- and Middle English overturnen. Modern senses include to officially change or cancel a decision, especially a legal one and to turn something over, or to be turned over, often by accident. The wider word family includes derivatives such as overturnable and overturner.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes

markdown