succinct

The story

1. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*upó“from below; up”
2. Latin · derived fromsuccīnctus“belted, girdled; enclosed or tightly wrapped; (figurative) concise, succinct; etc.”
3. Old French · derived fromsuccinct
4. Middle English · inherited fromsuccinte
5. English todaysuccinct

The adjective is derived from Late Middle English succinte, succynt (“having one’s waist encircled with something, girdled; brief, concise, succinct”), borrowed from Old French succinct (modern French succinct), or directly from its etymon Latin succīnctus (“belted, girdled; enclosed or tightly wrapped; (figurative) concise, succinct; etc.”), the perfect passive participle of succingō (“to gather or tuck up with a belt, etc.”), from suc- (a variant of sub- (prefix meaning ‘under’), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *upó (“from below; up”)) + cingō (“to encircle, surround; to gird”) (further etymology uncertain). The adverb is derived from the adjective.

Words from the same roots