Etymology

oversupply

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Today it means: To supply more than is needed. Full definition →

First used 19th c.English supply ← Middle English supplien ← Old French souploier
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The story

  1. Proto-Indo-European*úp
  2. Proto-Indo-European*upér
  3. Proto-Germanic*uber
  4. Old Englishofer-
  5. Middle Englishover-
  6. Englishover-
  7. Proto-Indo-European*upó
  8. Proto-Italic*supo
  9. Latinsub
  10. Latinsub-
  11. Proto-Indo-European*pleh₁-
  12. Proto-Italic*plēō
  13. Latinpleō
  14. Latinsupplēre
  15. Old Frenchsouploier
  16. Middle Englishsupplien
  17. Englishsupply
  18. English todayoversupply

From over- + supply.

First known use, by meaning

  • from 19th c. An excessive supply.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.