occur English · revision 4990

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1527|origins=la occurrere}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

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

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|la|occurrere|t=to run to meet, run against, befall, present itself]], perhaps through Middle French occurrer “to happen unexpectedly”,^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) formed from ob- “against, towards” and currere “to run”,^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) from [[ine-pro|*ḱers-|alt=*kers-|t=to run]].^(Etymonline) It is related to [[current]], [[course]] and [[cursor]].^(Barnhart 1988)^(Cresswell 2021)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ To meet with, encounter: 1527 in the OED and Barnhart, the 1520s in Etymonline, also of meeting in argument.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The sense developed from “meet” to “present itself”, “appear” and “happen”, that is, present itself in the course of events.^(Etymonline) To be found, to turn up, is from 1538,^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1988) and to happen or take place from 1549.^(OED 1989) To come into one's mind is from 1626, the 1620s in Etymonline.^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline) The literal “to run to meet someone” is recorded from 1596 but is obsolete.^(OED 1989) ''Occurrence'' is from 1539, in Thomas Cromwell's letters.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1527 – to meet with.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1538 – to appear, be found.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1539 – ''occurrence''.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1549 – to happen.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1626 – to come to mind.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To happen; to take place.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # To exist or be found somewhere: ''the disease occurs in adults''.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # ''occur to'': to come into someone's [[mind]].^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[co-occur]]

+ * [[reoccur]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[occurrent]]

+ * [[occurrence]]

+ * [[current]]

+ * [[course]]

+ * [[cursor]]

+ * [[concur]]

+ * [[incur]]

+ * [[recur]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}