embark
UK[ɪmˈbɑːk]US[ɪmˈbɑːrk]
v
To go onto a ship or an aircraft at the start of a journey.
v
To begin a new project or course of action, especially one that is important or challenging.
Morpheme Breakdown
em
bark
em
in, on
bark
ship
Etymology
The word 'embark' entered English in the mid-16th century from the French 'embarquer', which itself was built from the prefix 'em-' (a variant of 'en-', meaning "in") and 'barque' (a type of ship). The literal sense is "to put or go on board a vessel." This concrete meaning of boarding a ship logically extended to the more abstract sense of commencing any significant venture, as if setting out on a voyage. The core imagery persists: to embark on a journey, a career, or a project is to metaphorically step onto the vessel that will carry you through that endeavor.
Analysis
Structure: em (in, on) + bark (ship)
- em: A prefix of Latin origin (from 'in-'), meaning "in, into, on." It assimilates to 'em-' before 'b' or 'p'.
- bark: From Old French 'barque', meaning "boat, small ship," ultimately from Late Latin 'barca'.
Examples
The passengers will embark at Southampton for the transatlantic voyage.
After graduation, she embarked on a career in scientific research.
The company is embarking on a major expansion into Asian markets.