engorge
UK[ɪnˈɡɔːdʒ]US[ɪnˈɡɔːrdʒ]
v
To eat or swallow food greedily.
v
To become congested or swollen with fluid, especially blood.
Morpheme Breakdown
en
gorge
en
cause to be
gorge
throat
Etymology
The word 'engorge' is a vivid compound formed from the French prefix 'en-' and the noun 'gorge,' meaning throat. Literally, it means "to put into the throat." This original sense of swallowing greedily, of cramming the throat with food, is directly preserved in its first definition. Over time, the concept expanded metaphorically in medical and biological contexts. The second definition, referring to tissues or vessels becoming swollen or congested with blood, applies the same logic of "overfilling" to fluids within the body, as if the vessels were a throat being stuffed.
Analysis
Structure: en (cause to be) + gorge (throat)
- en: A prefix of French and Latin origin, meaning "to put into, cause to be."
- gorge: From Old French 'gorge' (throat), ultimately from Latin 'gurges' (whirlpool, abyss, throat).
Examples
The lion began to engorge the meat after the hunt.
After the injury, the veins in his leg began to engorge.
Overeating during the holidays can cause one to engorge oneself.