Wordsmith.org: the magic of words


A.Word.A.Day

About | Media | Search | Contact  


Home

Today's Word

Yesterday's Word

Archives

FAQ



Dec 19, 2012
This week's theme
Yours to discover

This week's words
wakerife
quadrennium
subjugate
xerophyte
conversazione

Discuss
Feedback
RSS/XML
Bookmark and Share Facebook Twitter Digg MySpace Bookmark and Share
A.Word.A.Day
with Anu Garg

subjugate

PRONUNCIATION:
(SUHB-juh-gayt)

MEANING:
verb tr.: To bring under control or to make submissive.

ETYMOLOGY:
From Latin subjugare (to subjugate), from sub- (under) + jugum (yoke). Ultimately from the Indo-European root yeug- (to join), which is also the ancestor of such words as junction, yoke, yoga, adjust, juxtapose, junta, jugular, and jugulate. Earliest documented use: 1429.

USAGE:
"Even more families lost control of their land, as the Indonesian army divided and relocated communities in its attempt to subjugate the population."
Country Plots; The Economist (London, UK); May 5, 2012.

See more usage examples of subjugate in Vocabulary.com's dictionary.

A THOUGHT FOR TODAY:
My soul is a broken field, plowed by pain. -Sara Teasdale, poet (1884-1933)

What they say

“Garg works in the great tradition of Wilfred Funk and Norman Lewis... Garg, however, is more fun.”

Minneapolis Star Tribune


More articles

Anu Garg on words

“I have a dream where society will replace guns with dictionaries.”

We need your help

Help us continue to spread the magic of words to readers everywhere

Donate

Subscriber Services
Awards | Stats | Links | Privacy Policy
Contribute | Advertise

© 1994-2025 Wordsmith