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English Lexicon

Surprise

/sərˈpraɪz/
nounverbCEFR A2 (Elementary)Top #850 frequency
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Comprehensive Definitions & Senses

2 senses
As noun
  1. 1

    An unexpected event or occurrence that causes astonishment.

    "The surprise party was a complete success, catching her off guard."
As verb
  1. 1

    To cause someone to feel astonished or shocked.

    "He surprised her with a beautiful gift on her birthday."
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Thesaurus & Semantic Spectrum

Antonyms & Contrasting Words (1)

Linguistic Origin & Historical Etymology

Derived from the Old French verb 'surprendre', meaning 'to overtake, catch unawares, or seize', which stems from Vulgar Latin 'superprehendere'. Over time, the meaning evolved from a sense of sudden military capture or unexpected attack into the general psychological state of experiencing an unexpected event.

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