sufferance etymology

Etymology

The word "sufferance" derives from the Old French word "sofrir," which means "to bear, endure, or tolerate." It traces its roots back to the Latin verb "sufferre," which means "to carry, bear, or sustain."

Meaning and Origin

"Sufferance" is a noun that refers to:

  • The state or experience of undergoing pain or distress, both physical and emotional.
  • Patient endurance or tolerance of hardship, adversity, or pain.
  • The permission or allowance to exist or continue, often in a precarious or undesired state.

The concept of sufferance has been present in various cultures and historical contexts. In ancient Greek philosophy, it was associated with the idea of suffering as a necessary aspect of human existence. In Christian theology, sufferance often refers to the endurance of pain and persecution as a form of spiritual redemption.

During the Middle Ages, the term "sufferance" was used to describe the conditional permission granted by a feudal lord to a tenant who remained on the land after failing to fulfill their obligations. This feudal origin still carries implications in the modern usage of the word, where sufferance may imply a precarious or conditional state of existence or allowance.

sufferance relate terms

  • suffer

    Etymology Old French sofrir Latin sufferre Proto Indo European kwe bher kwe bhr i

  • suffering

    Etymology From Middle English suffren from Old French sofrir from Latin sufferre to

  • suffer

    Etymology Old French sofrir Latin sufferre Proto Indo European kwe bher kwe bhr i

  • sufferance

    Etymology The word sufferance derives from the Old French word sofrir which means t

  • toleration

    Etymology of Tolerance The word tolerance originates from the Latin word tolerare

  • patience

    Etymology The word patience originates from the Latin word patientia which means su

  • tolerance

    Etymology Latin tolerantia endurance patience Stems from the verb tolerare to be

  • coefficient

    Etymology The word coefficient comes from the Latin word cohaerere meaning to stic

  • Easter

    Etymology The word Easter originated from the Old English word Eostre which was the

  • absorb

    Etymology The word absorb comes from the Latin word absorbere which means to suck

  • crown

    Etymology Middle English corone from Old French corone from Latin corona from Gree

  • wine

    Etymology The word wine originates from the Latin word vinum which is believed to ha

  • gibbous

    Etymology The word gibbous comes from the Latin word gibbosus meaning humped or b

  • anxiety

    Etymology The word anxiety comes from the Latin word anxietas which means anxiety