Etymology

seduce

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Today it means: To beguile or lure (someone) away from duty, accepted principles, or proper conduct; to lead astray. Full definition →

First used 1520sLatin sēdūcō
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The story

  1. Latin · borrowed fromsēdūcō“to lead apart or astray”
  2. English todayseduce

Borrowed from Latin sēdūcō (“to lead apart or astray”), from sē- (“aside, away, astray”) + dūcō (“to lead”); see duct. Compare adduce, conduce, deduce, etc. and Middle English seduct.

First known use, by meaning

  • 1520s To beguile or lure (someone) away from duty, accepted principles, or proper conduct; to lead astray.
  • 1550s To entice or induce (someone) to engage in a sexual relationship.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.