suit English · revision 3877

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1297|origins=la sequī}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: UK /suːt/, /sjuːt/, US /suːt/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|siute]], also sute, seute,^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024) [[bor|xno|siwte]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(NODE 1998) from Old French sieute, suite “pursuit, act of following, hunt; retinue”,^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) from [[la-vul|*sequita]], the feminine of *sequitus, replacing [[la|secūtus]], the past participle of [[m|la|sequī|t=to attend, follow]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) from [[ine-pro|*sekw-|t=to follow]].^(Etymonline) The verb is from the noun.^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986) It is related to [[suite]], [[sue]], [[sequel]] and [[pursue]].^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Attendance at a lord's court as a feudal obligation: 1297 in the OED.^(OED 1989) Etymonline dates the word to about 1300, as “a band of followers, a retinue” and the livery they wore.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ From the matching livery of a retinue came the senses “set of clothes to be worn together”, before 1400,^(Barnhart 1988) and “matching set of objects” by the late 14th century.^(Etymonline) The legal sense “lawsuit” is from the mid-14th century^(Etymonline) (Barnhart has 1412),^(Barnhart 1988) and “the wooing of a woman” is from the late 15th century.^(Etymonline) A set of playing cards of one symbol is from the 1520s,^(Etymonline) 1529 in Latimer's sermons,^(Barnhart 1988) also ultimately from the notion of livery, and ''to follow suit'' (1670s) is from card-playing.^(Etymonline) Its use as a derisive term for a businessman is from 1979.^(Etymonline) The verb meant “to be becoming” in the mid-14th century,^(Etymonline) “to be agreeable or convenient” from the 1570s, perhaps from the notion of joining a retinue dressed alike,^(Etymonline) and “to provide with clothes” also from the 1570s;^(Etymonline) ''suit up'' is American, from 1945,^(Etymonline) and ''suit yourself'' is attested by 1851.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1297 – attendance at court.^(OED 1989)

+ * c. 1300 – a retinue; their livery.^(Etymonline)

+ * mid-14th century – a lawsuit; verb, to be becoming.^(Etymonline)

+ * before 1400 – a set of clothes.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * late 15th century – courtship.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1520s – a suit of cards.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1670s – ''to follow suit''.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1851 – ''suit yourself''.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1979 – a businessman.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A set of matching outer [[garment|alt=garments]], usually a jacket with trousers or a skirt.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # A costume for a particular activity: ''a diving suit''.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # A set of things used together.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # Any of the four sets of [[playing card|alt=playing cards]] in a pack.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # A legal action; a [[lawsuit]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # The act of [[courtship|alt=courting]] a woman.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # A [[petition]] or appeal.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # ''(slang)'' A business executive.^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # To meet the requirements of; to fit.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # To make appropriate; to adapt.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # To be appropriate for; to befit.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # To please or satisfy: ''suits me fine''.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # To provide with clothing.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[suited]]

+ * [[suitlike]]

+ * [[bodysuit]]

+ * [[catsuit]]

+ * [[countersuit]]

+ * [[jumpsuit]]

+ * [[nonsuit]]

+ * [[pantsuit]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[prosecute]]

+ * [[suitable]]

+ * [[suite]]

+ * [[sue]]

+ * [[sequel]]

+ * [[pursue]]

+ * [[lawsuit]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}