appropriated
UK[əˈprəʊ.pri.eɪ.tɪd]US[əˈproʊ.pri.eɪ.t̬ɪd]
v
Took something for one's own use, typically without the owner's permission.
v
Set aside (money) for a special purpose.
Morpheme Breakdown
ap
propri
ate
d
ap
to, towards
propri
one's own
ate
verb suffix
d
past tense suffix
Etymology
The word 'appropriate' originates from the Late Latin verb appropriatus, the past participle of appropriare, meaning "to make one's own". This Latin term is a compound of the prefix ad- ("to") and the adjective proprius ("own, proper"). The core semantic journey begins with proprius, which in Latin conveyed a sense of inherent belonging or specific identity. The addition of the directional prefix ad- created a verb meaning "to assign to a specific purpose or owner". This legal and formal sense of allocation evolved in English to encompass two related meanings: the neutral act of setting aside resources for a designated use, and the potentially wrongful act of taking something for oneself, thereby making it "one's own" without proper authority. The past tense form 'appropriated' directly inherits this dual connotation of assigned ownership.
Analysis
Structure: ap (to, towards) + propri (one's own) + ate (verb suffix) + d (past tense suffix)
- ap: A Latin prefix (ad-), meaning "to, towards". It assimilates to 'ap-' before 'p'.
- propri: From Latin proprius, meaning "one's own, particular to itself".
- ate: A verb-forming suffix of Latin origin.
- d: The regular past tense and past participle suffix for English verbs.
Examples
The city council appropriated funds for the new park.
He appropriated his colleague's ideas and presented them as his own.
Images from the film were appropriated by the artist for her collage.