"to surround" in seven languages
Meaningto surround
Spanish
/rodeˈaɾ/
other source · Spanish rueda 'wheel' (Latin ROTAM)
French
/ɑ̃tuʁe/
other source · French entour 'around', from tour (Latin TORNUM)
Italian
/tʃirkonˈdare/
other source · Latin CIRCUMDARE 'to put around'
Portuguese
/sehˈkah/
other source · Latin CIRCĀRE 'to go around' (CIRCUS 'ring')
Romanian
/ɨnkonʒuˈra/
other source · of disputed origin, probably Latin *INCONGYRĀRE (GȲRUS 'circle')
Catalan
/əmbulˈta/
other source · Catalan volta 'turn', from Latin *VOLVITA (VOLVERE 'to roll')
English
/səˈɹaʊnd/
other source · Anglo-French surounder 'to overflow', from Late Latin SUPERUNDĀRE
It first meant 'to flood'; the link with round is a later folk association.
The story
Four different pictures: Spanish goes round like a wheel, French makes a turn around, Italian 'puts around' (CIRCUMDARE), and English surround originally meant to flood over.
Learn it
In a sentence
- esLa casa está rodeada de árboles.
- frLa maison est entourée d'arbres.
- itLa casa è circondata da alberi.
- ptA casa é cercada de árvores.
- roCasa e înconjurată de copaci.
- caLa casa està envoltada d'arbres.
- enThe house is surrounded by trees.
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