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sue

Etymology and origin of the English word sue

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Confidence
Established
Formation
Borrowing
First attested
before 1200
Borrowed from
Anglo-Norman suer
Ultimate origin
Latin (sequor)

Pronunciation

  • IPA: /sjuː/[1]

Etymology

It is Middle English sewen, suen, borrowed from Anglo-Norman suer (“to follow, continue”), from sivre (“to follow”) (modern French suivre),[2][3][4] from Vulgar Latin *sequere, from Latin sequī (“to follow”) (see sequel),[2][3] from PIE Proto-Indo-European *sekʷ- (“to follow”).[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

To continue or persevere: probably before 1200 in Barnhart;[2] to follow after or walk behind, about 1290 in the OED and the late 13th century in Etymonline.[5][3]

Semantic evolution

To strive for something is from about 1300.[3] The legal sense, to start a lawsuit or seek a right by legal process, is first recorded about 1300, from the idea of following a matter in court.[2][3][4] Trench quotes Wyclif's come, and sue me to show that sue once meant simply to follow.[6] To plead or petition, as sue for peace, and to woo, sue for her hand, are from the late 14th century.[3] Middle English also used it of hounds following game and of disciples following a master.[3]

Timeline

  • before 1200 – to continue.[2]
  • c. 1290 – to follow.[5]
  • c. 1300 – to take legal action.[2][3]
  • late 14th century – to plead.[3]

Modern meaning

Verb

  1. To start legal proceedings against someone, especially to claim money.
  2. To make a formal request: sue for peace.
  3. (archaic) To court a woman.

Word family

  • suer
  • countersue
  • unsued

References

  1. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f Barnhart, Robert K. (1988), The Barnhart Dictionary of Etymology
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  4. ^ a b Hoad, T. F., ed. (1986), The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  5. ^ a b Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press
  6. ^ Trench, Richard Chenevix (1859), A Select Glossary of English Words Used Formerly in Senses Different from Their Present, London: John W. Parker

Related etymologies

Cite this entry

“Sue.” Etymologically, 16 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/en/sue. Accessed 16 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·