interfere

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ˌɪn.təˈfɪə(ɹ)/ (UK); /ˌɪn.tɚˈfɪɚ/ (US)^[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Middle English enterferen, borrowed from Middle French enterferir (“to strike each other”) (Old French s'entreferir),^[2][3][4][5] altered under the influence of inter-,^[3] from entre- (“between”) and ferir (“to strike”), from Latin feriō (“to knock, strike”),^[2][6][4] related to forō (“to bore”) (see bore).^[2][6]

Earliest recorded meaning

To intermingle or mix: 1440 (entyferyn), in the Promptorium Parvulorum, in Barnhart, the mid-15th century in Etymonline;^[2][6] to meddle in others' affairs is in Barnhart from 1449.^[2]

Semantic evolution

Of a horse, to strike the inside of the fetlock with the opposite hoof, is from 1530.^[7][5] Of things in general, to strike against each other, is from 1613,^[7] and to come into collision or opposition from 1662.^[7] The figurative sense, to meddle, is attested from the 1630s,^[6][7] and to intervene from 1743.^[7] In physics it is used of waves combining, and interference is from the 18th century.^[8][5] The sexual sense, interfere with, is from 1948.^[7] Modern French interférer is from English.^[6]

Timeline

• 1440 – to intermingle.^[2]
• 1449 – to meddle.^[2]
• 1530 – of a horse's legs.^[7]
• 1632 – to meddle with.^[7]
• 1743 – to intervene.^[7]

Modern meaning

Verb

1. To involve oneself in others' affairs without being asked; to meddle.
2. To get in the way of something; to hinder or obstruct.
3. (physics) Of waves, to combine and produce interference.
4. Of a horse, to strike one hoof or leg against the other in moving.
5. (euphemistic) To assault sexually.

Word family

• interferer
• interferingly
• interference
• interferogram
• interferometer
• interferon
• noninterfering

Related words

• interfering
• bore

References

1. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g Barnhart, Robert K. (1988), The Barnhart Dictionary of Etymology
3. ^ a b Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary (2024), online ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
4. ^ a b Pearsall, Judy, ed. (1998), The New Oxford Dictionary of English, Oxford: Clarendon Press
5. ^ a b c Hoad, T. F., ed. (1986), The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology, Oxford: Clarendon Press
6. ^ a b c d e Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
7. ^ a b c d e f g h i Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press
8. ^ Collins English Dictionary (2023), Glasgow: HarperCollins