Wordwyrt

usurp

/ˌjuːˈsɜːp/yoo-SURP
/ˌjuˈsɝp/yoo-SURP

Meaningto employ, acquire

Common meaning: to seize wrongfully

Journey through time

  1. Latinusurpare‘to employ, acquire’source
  2. Frenchusurpersource
  3. Englishmeaning shiftsto employ, acquire → to seize wrongfullyusurp‘to seize wrongfully’ · today

Sources & notes

Meaning: “Meaning” is the sense that emerges from the word’s roots; “Common meaning” is today’s everyday sense. Both written by us.

Pronunciation

  • UK IPA: converted from the US form by rule (unchecked). Respelling: generated.
  • No UK recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-GB voice.
  • US IPA: CMUdict (BSD-2), converted to IPA by rule. Respelling: generated.
  • No US recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-US voice.

Origin: Built on Latin usurpare ‘to employ, acquire’.

Roots

Building blocks are an automatic split · open in app