surprise

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   The feeling caused when something unexpected happens.

   Imagine my surprise when I won first prize.

2. 2
   noun

   Something unexpected.

   The party was a complete surprise.

3. 3
   verb

   To make someone feel surprise by doing or being something unexpected.

   It surprised me that the test was so easy.

4. 4
   verb

   To come upon or catch someone when they are not expecting it.

   They surprised their mother with a visit on her birthday.

Appears in

Simplified etymology

Surprise derives from medieval Latin superprehendere, “to seize,” which was formed from prehendere. In the 15th century a surprise could be a sudden unexpected attack or seizure of a place, though it could also mean taking a place by force whether unexpected or not. As the suggestion of force faded, unexpectedness became central to the word’s meaning.

From Middle English surprise, borrowed from Middle French surprise (“an overtake”), nominal use of the past participle of Old French sorprendre (“to overtake”), from sor- (“over”) + prendre (“to take”), from Latin super- + Latin prendere, contracted from prehendere (“to grasp, seize”). Doublet of suppli.

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External links

• Google Images
• Cambridge Dictionary
• Wiktionary