Etymology

understudy

un·der·study
U1N1D2E1R1S1T1U1D2Y4

Today it means: To study or know a role to such an extent as to be able to replace the normal performer when required. Full definition →

English study ← Middle English studien ← Old French estudier
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The story

  1. Proto-Indo-European*h₁én
  2. Proto-Indo-European*h₁entér
  3. Proto-Indo-European*h₂én
  4. Proto-Indo-European*dʰeh₁-?
  5. Proto-Indo-European*(H)n̥dʰí
  6. Proto-Indo-European*(H)n̥dʰér
  7. Proto-Germanic*under
  8. Proto-West Germanic*undar
  9. Old Englishunder-
  10. Middle Englishunder-
  11. Englishunder-
  12. Proto-Indo-European*(s)tew-
  13. Proto-Indo-European*(s)tewd-
  14. Proto-Indo-European*studéh₁ti
  15. Proto-Italic*studēō
  16. Latinstudeō
  17. Latinstudium
  18. Old Frenchestudie
  19. Old Frenchestudier
  20. Middle Englishstudien
  21. Englishstudy
  22. English todayunderstudy

From under- + study.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.