Etymology: Originally < supprise v. Compare Anglo-Norman and supprise usurpation (a1325 or earlier; also sousprise ), use as noun of past participle of sousprendre , supprendre (see susprise v.). Compare also post-classical Latin subprisia , supprisa , supprisia exaction, encroachment (from 13th cent. in British and continental sources). Compare later surprise n. In later use (from the late 17th cent. onwards) probably representing a regional or colloquial pronunciation of surprise n.

Etymology: Originally < Anglo-Norman supris, Anglo-Norman and Middle French suppris (end of the 12th cent. or earlier in Old French, earliest in sense ‘taken aback, astonished’), past participle of Anglo-Norman suprendre, Anglo-Norman and Middle French supprendre to take (a person) by surprise (1139 in Anglo-Norman; not paralleled in continental French until later: a1482), to deceive (a person) (beginning of the 13th cent. or earlier), alteration (with prefix substitution: see sous- prefix) of Anglo-Norman and Old French, Middle French surprendre (see surprise v.). In later use (chiefly in regional use in sense 1a) probably representing a regional or colloquial pronunciation of surprise v. Later uses not representing regional or colloquial speech may simply show typographical errors for surprise v. Compare susprise v. and later surprise v. Compare also slightly later supprise n.In senses 2 and 4 perhaps also influenced by suppress v. In sense 3 probably after Middle French sousprendre (see susprise v.).