Etymology

preoccupy

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Today it means: To distract; to draw attention elsewhere. Full definition →

First used 16th c.Middle French preoccuper ← Latin praeoccupo, praeoccupare
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The story

  1. Latin · derived frompraeoccupo, praeoccupare
  2. Middle French · derived frompreoccuper
  3. English todaypreoccupy

From pre- + occupy, after Middle French preoccuper, and its source, Latin praeoccupo, praeoccupare. Doublet of preoccupate, now obsolete.

First known use, by meaning

  • from 16th c. To distract; to draw attention elsewhere.
  • 16th–19th c. To occupy or take possession of beforehand.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.