seize

The story

1. Proto-Germanic · derived from*sakaną
2. Proto-Germanic · inherited from*sakjaną
3. Frankish · derived from*sakjan“to sue, bring legal action”
4. Early Medieval Latin · derived fromsacīre“to lay claim to, appropriate”
5. Old French · derived fromseisir“to take possession of; invest (person, court)”
6. Middle English · inherited fromseisen
7. English todayseize

Earlier seise, from Middle English seisen, sesen, saisen, from Old French seisir (“to take possession of; invest (person, court)”), from Early Medieval Latin sacīre (“to lay claim to, appropriate”) (8th century) in the phrase ad propriam sacire, from Old Low Frankish *sakjan (“to sue, bring legal action”), from Proto-Germanic *sakjaną, *sakōną (compare Old English sacian (“to strive, brawl”)), from Proto-Germanic *sakaną (compare Old Saxon sakan (“to accuse”), Old High German sahhan (“to bicker, quarrel, rebuke”), Old English sacan (“to quarrel, claim by law, accuse”). Cognate to sake and Latin sāgiō (“to perceive acutely”).

Words from the same roots