absurd

The story

1. Latin · derived fromabsurdus“incongruous, dissonant, out of tune”
2. Middle French · borrowed fromabsurde
3. English todayabsurd

First attested in 1557. From Middle French absurde, from Latin absurdus (“incongruous, dissonant, out of tune”), from ab (“away from, out”) + surdus (“silent, deaf, dull-sounding”). Compare surd.

Words from the same roots

First known use, by meaning

• from mid-16th c. Contrary to reason or propriety; obviously and flatly opposed to manifest truth; inconsistent with the plain dictates of common sense; logically contradictory; nonsensical; ridiculous; silly.
• only early 17th c. Inharmonious; dissonant.
• early 17th–mid 17th c. An absurdity.
• from early 20th century in English The opposition between the human search for meaning in life and the inability to find any; the state or condition in which man exists in an irrational universe and his life has no meaning outside of his existence.