sorprendre

Inherited from Old Catalan sobreprendre, probably with influence from French surprendre. First attested in 1803.^[1]

• IPA^(key): (Central) , (proscribed spelling pronunciation)
• IPA^(key): (Balearic) , (proscribed spelling pronunciation)
• IPA^(key): (Valencia) , (proscribed spelling pronunciation)

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sorprendre (first-person singular present sorprenc, first-person singular preterite sorprenguí, past participle sorprès); root stress: (Central) /ɛ/; (Valencia) /e/; (Balearic) /ə/

1. to surprise

• sorprenent
• sorpresa

• “sorprendre” in Diccionari de la llengua catalana, segona edició, Institut d’Estudis Catalans.
• “sorprendre” in Diccionari normatiu valencià, Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llengua.
• “sorprendre” in Diccionari català-valencià-balear, Antoni Maria Alcover and Francesc de Borja Moll, 1962.

• surprendre, sourprendre

From sor- +‎ prendre. First attested in c. 1165. Compare Old Occitan sobreprendre.

Sense 3 is not original and resulted from the absorption by this verb of the related sosprendre.

sorprendre

1. to seize, take control of
2. to overtake
3. to surprise
   • c. 1155, Wace, Le Roman de Brut:

     Cascuns voloit l'altre soprendre

     Each wanted to surprise the other

This verb conjugates as a third-group verb. This verb has irregularities in its conjugation. Old French conjugation varies significantly by date and by region. The following conjugation should be treated as a guide.

• prendre

• Middle French: surprendre
  • English: surprise (from past participle)
  • French: surprendre
• → Italian: sorprendere

• Walther von Wartburg (1928–2002) “prĕhĕndĕre”, in Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, volumes 9: Placabilis–Pyxis, page 350