A- (3) prefix meaning "not," from Gk a-, an- "not," from pie base *ne "not" (see un-)

succedaneum --- substitute, 1643, from L. neut. of succedaneus "succeeding, acting as substitute" (see succeed). Especially of inferior drugs substituted for better ones.

succeed --- 1375, "come next after, take the place of another," from O.Fr. succeder (14c.), from L. succedere "come after, go near to," from sub "next to, after" + cedere "go, move" (see cede). The sense of "turn out well, have a favorable result" is first recorded 1475, with ellipsis of adverb (succeed well).

success --- 1537, "result, outcome," from L. successus "an advance, succession, happy outcome," from succedere "come after" (see succeed). Meaning "accomplishment of desired end" (good success) first recorded 1586. Successor "one who comes after" is recorded from 1297.

succession --- c.1325, from O.Fr. succession (13c.), from L. successionem (nom. successio) "a following after, a coming into another's place, result," from successus, pp. of succedere (see succeed). Successive is attested from c.1425.

succinct --- 1432, from M.Fr. succincte, from L. succinctus "prepared, ready, contracted, short," pp. of succingere "tuck up (clothes for action), gird from below," from sub "up from under" + cingere "to gird" (see cinch). Sense of "compressed" first recorded c.1537.

succor --- c.1225, from Anglo-Fr. succors "help, aid," O.Fr. sucurres, from M.L. succursus "help, assistance," from pp. of L. succurrere "run to help," from sub "up to" + currere "to run" (see current). Final -s mistaken as a plural inflexion and dropped c.1290.

succotash --- 1751, from Narragansett (Algonquian) misickqatash "ear of corn," "of which divergent evolutions are given" [OED].

succubus --- 1387, alteration (after incubus) of L.L. succuba "strumpet," applied to a fiend in female form having intercourse with men in their sleep, from succubare "to lie under," from sub- "under" + cubare "to lie down" (see cubicle).

succulent --- 1601, from Fr. succulent, from L. succulentus "having juice," from succus "juice, sap;" related to sugere "to suck," and cognate with O.E. sucan "to suck" (see suck).

succumb --- c.1489, from M.Fr. succomber, from L. succumbere "submit, sink down, lie under," from sub "down" + -cumbere "take a reclining position," related to cubare "lie down" (see cubicle). Originally transitive; sense of "sink under pressure" is first recorded 1604.

such --- O.E. swylc, swilc from a P.Gmc. compound *swalikaz "so formed" (cf. O.S. sulik, O.N. slikr, O.Fris. selik, M.Du. selc, Du. zulk, O.H.G. sulih, Ger. solch, Goth. swaleiks), from swa "so" (see so) + *likan "form," source of O.E. gelic "similar" (see like). Colloquial suchlike (1422) is pleonastic.

suck --- O.E. sucan, from PIE root *sug-/*suk- of imitative origin (cf. O.S., O.H.G. sugan, O.N. suga, M.Du. sughen, Du. zuigen, Ger. saugen "to suck;" L. sugere "to suck," succus "juice, sap;" O.Ir. sugim, Welsh sugno "to suck"). Meaning "do fellatio" is first recorded 1928. Slang sense of "be contemptible" first attested 1971 (the underlying notion is of fellatio). Suck eggs is from 1906. Suck hind tit "be inferior" is Amer.Eng. slang first recorded 1940.

sucker --- young mammal before it is weaned, 1382, from suck. Slang meaning "person who is easily deceived" is first attested 1836, Amer.Eng., on notion of naivete; the verb in this sense is from 1939. But another theory traces the slang meaning to the fish called a sucker (1753), on the notion of being easy to catch in their annual migrations. Meaning "lollipop" is from 1823. Suckerpunch first recorded 1947.

suckle --- 1408, perhaps a causative form of M.E. suken "to suck" (see suck), or a back-formation from suckling (though this word is attested only from c.1440).

suckling --- c.1440, "an infant at the breast," from suck + dim. suffix -ling. Cf. M.Du. sogeling, Du. zuigeling, Ger. Säugling. Meaning "act of breast-feeding" is attested from 1799.

sucre --- monetary unit of Ecuador, 1886, named for Antonio José de Sucre, Venezuelan general.

sucrose --- 1857, formed from Fr. sucre "sugar" (see sugar) + chemical suffix -ose.

suction --- 1626, from L.L. suctionem (nom. suctio), noun of action from L. suctus, pp. of sugere "to suck" (see suck).

Sudan --- 1842, from Arabic Bilad-al-sudan, lit. "country of the blacks," from sud, pl. of aswad (fem. sauda) "black."

sudden --- c.1290 (implied in suddenly), perhaps via Anglo-Fr. sodein, from O.Fr. subdain "immediate, sudden," from V.L. *subitanus, variant of L. subitaneus "sudden," from subitus "come or go up stealthily," from sub "up to" + ire "come, go." Phrase all of a sudden first attested 1681, earlier of a sudayn (1596), upon the soden (1558). Sudden death, tie-breakers in sports, first recorded 1927; earlier in ref. to coin tosses (1834).

suds --- 1548, "dregs, leavings, muck," especially in East Anglia, "ooze left by flood" (this may be the original sense), perhaps borrowed from M.Du. sudse "marsh, bog," cognate with O.E. soden, pp. of seoþan (see seethe). Meaning "soapy water" dates from 1581; slang meaning "beer" first attested 1904.

sue --- c.1200, "continue, persevere," from Anglo-Fr. suer "follow after, continue," from O.Fr. sivre, later suivre "pursue, follow after," from V.L. *sequere "follow," from L. sequi "follow" (see sequel). Sense of "start a lawsuit against" first recorded c.1300, on notion of "following up" a matter in court. Sometimes aphetic for ensue or pursue.

suede --- undressed kid skin, 1884, from gants de Suède (1859), lit. "gloves of Sweden," from Fr. Suède "Sweden."

suet --- 1377, "solid fat formed in the torsos of cattle and sheep," probably from an Anglo-Fr. diminutive of sius, the nominative use of sue, seu "tallow, grease," from O.Fr. sieu "tallow," from L. sebum "tallow, grease."

suffer --- c.1225, "to undergo, endure" (pain, death, punishment, judgment, grief), from Anglo-Fr. suffrir, from O.Fr. sufrir, from V.L. *sufferire, variant of L. sufferre "to bear, undergo, endure, carry or put under," from sub "up, under" + ferre "to carry" (see infer). Replaced O.E. þolian, þrowian. Meaning "to tolerate, allow" is recorded from c.1290.

suffice --- c.1325, from stem of O.Fr. souffire "be sufficient," from L. sufficere "supply, suffice," from sub "up to" + root of facere "to make" (see factitious). Phrase suffice it to say (1390) is a rare surviving subjunctive. Sufficient (1375) is from L. sufficiens, prp. of sufficere.

suffix (n.) --- 1778, from Mod.L. suffixum, noun use of neut. of L. suffixus "fastened," pp. of suffigere "fasten, fix on," from sub "upon" + figere "fasten" (see fix). The verb, in the grammatical sense, is first recorded 1778.

suffocation --- 1460 (implied in pp. adj. suffocate), from M.Fr. suffocation, from L. suffocationem (nom. suffocatio) "a choking, stifling," from suffocatus, pp. of suffocare "suffocate," originally "to narrow up," from sub "up (from under)" + fauces (pl.) "throat, narrow entrance."

Suffolk --- Suþfolcci (895); see Norfolk.

suffragan --- c.1380, "bishop who assists another bishop," from Anglo-Fr. and O.Fr. suffragan (13c.), from M.L. suffraganeus "assisting, supporting," from L. suffragium "support" (see suffrage).

suffrage --- c.1380, "prayers or pleas on behalf of another," from O.Fr. suffrage (13c.), from M.L. suffragium, from L. suffragium "support, vote, right of voting," from suffragari "lend support, vote for someone," from sub "under" + fragor "crash, din, shouts (as of approval)," related to frangere "to break" (see fraction). The meaning "right to vote" is first found in the U.S. Constitution, 1787.

suffragette --- female supporter of the cause of women's voting rights, 1906, from suffrage, with Fr. fem. ending in vogue at the time. Earlier (without reference to sex) suffragist (1822) "advocate of extension of the political franchise in Britain," or, in the U.S., of voting rights for free blacks. Especially with ref. to women after c.1885.

suffusion --- 1398, from L. suffusionem (nom. suffusio) "a pouring over," from suffusus, pp. of suffundere "pour upon, overspread, suffuse," from sub "under" + fundere "to pour" (see found (2)). The verb suffuse is attested from 1590.

Sufi --- member of a Muslim mystical order, 1653 (earlier Sufian, 1585), from Arabic sufi, lit. "man of wool" (i.e., "man wearing woolen garments"), from suf "wool." So-called from the habit of "putting on the holy garment" (labs-as-suf) to devote oneself to mysticism.

sugar --- c.1289, from O.Fr. sucre "sugar" (12c.), from M.L. succarum, from Arabic sukkar, from Pers. shakar, from Skt. sharkara "ground or candied sugar," originally "grit, gravel" (cognate with Gk. kroke "pebble"). The Arabic word also was borrowed in It. (zucchero), Sp. (azucar), and O.H.G. (zucura, Ger. Zucker), and its forms are represented in most European languages (cf. Serb. cukar, Pol. cukier, Rus. sakhar). Its Old World home was India (Alexander the Great's companions marveled at the "honey without bees") and it remained exotic in Europe until the Arabs began to cultivate it in Sicily and Spain; not until after the Crusades did it begin to rival honey as the West's sweetener. The Spaniards in the West Indies began raising sugar cane in 1506; first grown in Cuba 1523; first cultivated in Brazil 1532. The -g- in the Eng. form cannot be accounted for. The pronunciation shift from s- to sh- is probably from the initial long vowel sound syu- (as in sure). Slang "euphemistic substitute for an imprecation" [OED] is attested from 1891. As a term of endearment, first recorded 1930. Sugar maple is from 1753; sugar-plum is from 1608; sugar-daddy "elderly man who lavishes gifts on a young woman" first recorded 1926. Sugar coat (v.) "make more palatable" is from 1870. Sugar plum "small round candy" is from 1668. Sugar loaf was originally a moulded conical mass of refined sugar (1422); they're now obsolete, but sense extended 17c. to hills, hats, etc. of that shape.

suggestion --- c.1340, "a prompting to evil," from Anglo-Fr. and O.Fr. suggestioun, from L. suggestionem (nom. suggestio) "an addition, intimation, suggestion," from suggestus, pp. of suggestere "suggest, supply, bring up," from sub "up" + gerere "bring, carry." Sense evolution in L. is from "heap up, build" to "bring forward an idea." Meaning "proposal" appeared by 1382, but original Eng. notion of "evil prompting" is preserved in suggestive (1631, though the indecent aspect did not emerge until 1888). Hypnotism sense is from 1887.

sui generis --- 1787, from L., lit. "of one's own kind, peculiar." First element from sui, gen. of suus "his, her, its, one's," from Old L. sovos, from PIE base *swe-, pronoun of the third person (see idiom).

sui juris --- 1614, "of full legal age and capacity," in ancient Rome, "of the status of one not subject to the patria potestas." For first element, see sui generis; for second element, see jurist.

suicide --- deliberate killing of oneself, 1651, from Mod.L. suicidium "suicide," from L. sui "of oneself" (gen. of se "self"), from PIE *s(u)w-o- "one's own," from base *s(w)e- (see idiom) + -cidium "a killing." Probably an Eng. coinage; much maligned by Latin purists because it "may as well seem to participate of sus, a sow, as of the pronoun sui" [Phillips]. The meaning "person who kills himself deliberately" is from 1728. In Anglo-L., the term for "one who commits suicide" was felo-de-se, lit. "one guilty concerning himself."

suit (n.) --- 1297, "attendance at court, the company attending," also their livery or uniform, via Anglo-Fr. siwte, from O.Fr. suitte "attendance, act of following," from Gallo-Romance *sequita, fem. of *sequitus, from L. secutus, pp. of sequi "to attend, follow" (see sequel). Meaning "application to a court for justice, lawsuit" is first recorded c.1412. Meaning "set of clothes to be worn together" is attested from c.1420, from notion of the livery or uniform of court attendants (a sense recorded from 1297). As a derisive term for "businessman," it dates from 1979. Meaning "set of playing cards bearing the same symbol" is first attested 1529, also from the notion of livery. Hence, to follow suit (1680), which is from card playing. Suitcase first recorded 1902, originally a case for holding a suit of clothes.

suit (v.) --- be agreeable or convenient, 1578, from suit (n.), probably from the notion of "provide with a set of new clothes." Suitor "man who is courting a woman" is 1586, from earlier notion of "adherent, follower" (c.1380).

suite --- 1673, "train of followers or attendants," from Fr. suite, from O.Fr. suite "act of following, attendance" (see suit). The meanings "set of instrumental compositions" (1682), "connected set of rooms" (1716), and "set of furniture" (1805) were borrowed from Fr. or re-spelled from suit on the Fr. model.

sulfa --- 1942, short for the group of drugs derived from sulfanilamide. (The usual British spelling is sulpha.)

sulfate --- 1790 (sulphat), from Fr. sulphate (1787), from Mod.L. sulphatum acidum, from L. sulpur, sulphur (see sulfur) + chemical ending -ate. The spelling with -ph- is standard in Britain.

sulfur --- c.1300, from O.Fr. soufre (13c.), from L.L. sulfur, from L. sulphur, probably from a root meaning "to burn." Ousted native brimstone and cognate O.E. swefl.

sulk --- 1781, back-formation of sulky (adj.).

sulky (adj.) --- sullen, 1744, probably from O.E. asolcen "idle, lazy, slow," from pp. of aseolcan "become sluggish, be weak or idle" (related to besylcan "be languid"), from P.Gmc. *seklanan (cf. M.H.G. selken "to drop, fall").

sulky (n.) --- light carriage with two wheels, 1756, apparently a noun use of sulky (adj.), on notion of "standoffishness," because the carriage has room for only one person.

sullen --- 1577, alteration of M.E. soleyn "unique, singular," from Anglo-Fr. *solein, formed on the pattern of O.Fr. soltain, from O.Fr. soul "single" (see sole (2)). The sense shift in M.E. from "solitary" to "morose" occurred between about 1380 and 1400.

sully --- 1571 (implied in sulliedness), probably from M.Fr. souiller, from O.Fr. souillier "make dirty" (see soil (v.)).

sultan --- 1555, from M.Fr. sultan "ruler of Turkey" (16c.), from Arabic sultan "ruler, king, queen, power, dominion," from Aramaic shultana "power," from shelet "have power." His wife, mother, daughter, concubine, or sister is a sultana (1585), from It. fem. of sultano, from Arabic sultan.

sultry --- 1594, "oppressively hot, close and moist" (of weather), from obs. verb sulter "to swelter" (1581), alteration of swelter. Fig. sense of "hot with lust" is attested from 1704; of women, "lascivious, sensual, arousing desire" it is recorded from 1940.

sum --- c.1290, "quantity or amount of money," from Anglo-Fr. and O.Fr. summe (13c.), from L. summa "total number, whole, essence, gist," noun use of fem. of summus "highest," from PIE *sup-mos-, from base *uper "over" (see super-). The sense development from "highest" to "total number" is probably via the Roman custom of adding up a stack of figures from the bottom and writing the sum at the top, rather than at the bottom as we do now (cf. the bottom line). Meaning "total number of anything" is recorded from c.1374. Meaning "essence of a writing or speech" also is attested from c.1374. The verb is attested from c.1300; meaning "briefly state the substance of" (now usually with up) is first recorded 1621. Sum-total is attested from c.1395, from M.L. summa totalis.

sumac --- c.1300, "preparation of dried, chopped leaves of a plant of the genus Rhus" (used in tanning and dyeing and as an astringent), from O.Fr. sumac (13c.), from M.L. sumach, from Arabic summaq, from Syrian summaq "red." Later applied to N.Amer. species.

summa cum laude --- 1900, from L., lit. "with highest praise."

summary (adj.) --- 1432, from M.L. summarius "of or pertaining to the sum or substance," from L. summa "whole, gist" (see sum). Sense of "done promptly" is first found 1713. The noun meaning "a summary statement or account" is first recorded 1509, from L. summarium "an epitome, abstract, summary," from summa "totality, gist." Summarily is attested from 1528. Summarize first recorded 1871.

summation --- 1760, from Mod.L. summationem (nom. summatio) "an adding up," from L.L. summatus, pp. of summare "to sum up," from L. summa (see sum).

summer (1) --- hot season of the year, O.E. sumor, from P.Gmc. *sumur- (cf. O.S., O.N., O.H.G. sumar, O.Fris. sumur, M.Du. somer, Du. zomer, Ger. Sommer), from PIE base *sem- (cf. Skt. sama "season, half-year," Avestan hama "in summer," Armenian amarn "summer," O.Ir. sam, O.Welsh ham, Welsh haf "summer"). O.N. sumarsdag, first day of summer, was the Thursday that fell between April 9 and 15. For Indian summer see India. The verb meaning "to pass the summer" is recorded from c.1440. Summer camp is attested from 1893; summer resort is from 1832; summer school first recorded 1860; theatrical summer stock id attested from 1942. Summertime is recorded from 1377; in Britain, as two words, with ref. to what in U.S. is "daylight saving time," it is recorded from 1916.

summer (2) --- horizontal bearing beam, 1288, from Anglo-Fr. sumer, O.Fr. somer "main beam," originally "pack horse," from V.L. *saumarius, from L.L. sagmarius "pack horse," from sagma "packsaddle" (see sumpter).

summit --- 1470, from M.Fr. somete, from O.Fr. sommette, dim. of som, sum "highest part, top of a hill," from L. summum, noun use of neut. of summus "highest," related to super "over" (see super-). The meaning "meeting of heads of state" (1950) is from Winston Churchill's metaphor of "a parley at the summit."

summon --- c.1205, from Anglo-Fr., O.Fr. sumundre "summon," from V.L. *summundre "to call, cite," from L. summonere "hint to," from sub "under" + monere "warn, advise" (see monitor). Summons "authoritative call to be at a certain place for a certain purpose" is c.1280, from O.Fr. sumunse, noun use of fem. pp. of somondre. Summoner "petty officer who cites persons to appear in court" is from c.1325; contracted form sumner is from 1362.

summum bonam --- 1563, from L., lit. "highest good" (in ethics), from Cicero.

sumo --- 1880, from Japanese sumo "to compete."

sump --- c.1425, "marsh, morass," from M.Du. somp or M.L.G. sump, from P.Gmc. *sumpaz. Meaning "pit to collect water" is first found 1653.

sumpter --- c.1320, "driver of a pack horse," from O.Fr. sommetier, from V.L. *sagmatarius "a pack horse driver," from L.L. sagmat- "a pack, burden," stem of sagma "packsaddle," from Gk. sagma, probably related to sattein "to pack, press, stuff." Used from c.1450 of horses and mules for carrying loads.

sumptuary --- pertaining to expense, 1600, from L. sumptuarius "relating to expenses," from sumptus "expensive" (see sumptuous).

sumptuous --- 1485, from O.Fr. sumptueux, from L. sumptuosus "costly, expensive," from sumptus "cost, expense," pp. of sumere "spend, consume, take," contraction of *sub-emere, from sub- "under" + emere "to take, buy" (see exempt).

sun (n.) --- O.E. sunne, from P.Gmc. *sunnon (cf. O.N., O.S., O.H.G. sunna, M.Du. sonne, Du. zon, Ger. Sonne, Goth. sunno), from PIE *s(u)wen- (cf. Avestan xueng "sun," O.Ir. fur-sunnud "lighting up"), alternate form of base *saewel- "to shine, sun" (see Sol). O.E. sunne was fem., and the fem. pronoun was used until 16c.; since then masc. has prevailed. The empire on which the sun never sets (1630) originally was the Spanish, later the British. To have one's place in the sun (1688) is from Pascal's "Pensées"; the Ger. imperial foreign policy sense (1897) is from a speech by von Bülow. The U.S. Sunbelt is first recorded 1969. Sunlight is first recorded c.1205. Sunbeam was in O.E.; sunset first recorded 1390 (sundown is from 1620); sunrise is first found 1440 (sun-up is from 1712). Sundial is from 1599. Sunspot in ref. to the solar phenomenon is from 1868. Egg served sunny side up first attested 1900. Sunroof of a car is from 1966.

sun (v.) --- 1519, "to set something in the sun," from sun (n.). Meaning "to expose oneself to the sun" is recorded from 1610. Sun-bathing is attested from 1600. Sun-tan (v.) is recorded from 1821; the noun is first attested 1904. Sunburn (v.) is from sunne y-brent (c.1400).

sundae --- 1897, Amer.Eng. thought to be an alteration of Sunday, perhaps re-spelled in deference to religious feelings; but the reason for the name is uncertain; perhaps "ice cream left over from Sunday, on sale later." For a fuller account of the speculations, see H.L. Mencken, "The American Language," Supplement I (1945), pp.376-7.

Sunday --- O.E. Sunnandæg, lit. "day of the sun," from sunnan, oblique case of sunne "sun" + dæg "day," from a W.Gmc. loan-translation of L. dies solis "day of the sun," which is itself a loan-translation of Gk. hemera heliou. Cf. O.N. sunnundagr, Ger. Sonntag "Sunday." Like other weekday names, not regularly capitalized until 17c. Sunday school dates from 1783 (originally for secular instruction); Sunday clothes is from 1642. Sunday driver is from 1925.

sunder --- O.E. sundrian, from sundor "separately, apart," from P.Gmc. *sunder (cf. O.N. sundr, O.Fris. sunder, O.H.G. suntar "aside, apart"), from PIE base *sen(e)- denoting "separation" (cf. Skt. sanutar "far away," Avestan hanare "without," Gk. ater "without," L. sine "without," O.C.S. svene "without," O.Ir. sain "different").

sundog --- mock sun, parhelion, 1653, of obscure origin.

sundry --- O.E. syndrig "separate, apart, special," related to sundor "separately" (see sunder). Phrase all and sundry first recorded 1389; sundries "odds and ends" is first found 1755.

sunfish --- 1629, from sun (n.) + fish. Used of various species, with ref. to round shape or brilliant appearance. Short form sunny is attested from 1835.

sunflower --- 1562, "heliotrope;" in ref. to the helianthus (introduced to Europe 1510 from America by the Spaniards) it is attested from 1597.

Sunni --- 1626, from Arabic, lit. "lawful," from Sunna "traditional teachings of Muhammad," lit. "way, custom, course, tradition." Muslims who accept the orthodox tradition as well as the Quran.

sunny --- full of sun, c.1300, from sun (n.). Fig. sense of "cheerful" is attested from 1545.

sunshine --- c.1250, from sun (n.) + shine. Sunshine law in ref. to U.S. open meeting legislation is recorded from 1972, from the notion of shining the light of public access on deliberations formerly held behind closed doors.

sunstroke --- 1851, from Fr. coup de soleil.

sup (1) --- eat the evening meal, c.1290, from O.Fr. super, which probably is from soupe "broth" (see soup), until recently still the traditional evening meal of Fr. workers.

sup (2) --- sip, O.E. supan (W.Saxon), suppan, supian (Northumbrian) "to sip, swallow," from P.Gmc. *supanan (cf. O.N. supa "to sip, drink," M.L.G. supen, Du. zuipen "to drink, tipple, booze," O.H.G. sufan, Ger. saufen "to drink, booze"), from PIE *sub-, from base *seue- "to take liquid" (cf. Skt. sunoti "presses out juice," soma; Avestan haoma, Pers. hom "juice;" Gk. huetos "rain," huein "to rain;" L. sugere "to suck," succus "juice, sap;" Lith. sula "flowing sap;" O.C.S. soku "sap," susati "suck;" M.Ir. suth "sap;" O.E. seaw "sap").

super --- first-rate, excellent, 1837, from prefix in superfine (1682), denoting "highest grade of goods," from L. super "above, over, beyond" (see super-). Extended usage as a general term of approval is 1895 slang, revived 1960s. Rhyming reduplication form super-duper first attested 1940.

super- --- from L. adverb and preposition super "above, over, on the top (of), beyond, besides, in addition to," from PIE base *uper "over" (cf. Skt. upari, Avestan upairi "over, above, beyond," Gk. hyper, O.E. ofer "over," Goth. ufaro "over, across," Gaul. ver-, O.Ir. for), comparative of base *upo "under."

superable --- surmountable, 1629, from L. superabilis "that may be overcome," from superare "to overcome," from super "over" (see super-) + -abilis (see -able). The negative formation insuperable is older and more common and this may be a back-formation.