interpellate
UK[ˌɪntəˈpɛleɪt]US[ˌɪntərˈpɛleɪt]
v
To formally question or challenge a government minister or official in a parliament or similar assembly.
Morpheme Breakdown
inter
pell
ate
inter
between, among
pell
to drive, to push
ate
verb suffix
Etymology
The word "interpellate" entered English in the late 16th century from Latin interpellatus, the past participle of interpellare, meaning "to interrupt by speaking". This Latin verb is a compound of inter- ("between") and pellare, a frequentative form of pellere ("to drive, to push"). The original sense was of verbally driving oneself between speakers, i.e., to interrupt. Its specific parliamentary meaning developed in the 19th century from French interpeller, where it came to denote the formal procedure of demanding an explanation from a minister, conceptually "driving a question" between the official and the assembly to hold them accountable. Thus, the action evolved from a general interruption to a structured, formal challenge within a governing body.
Analysis
Structure: inter (between, among) + pell (to drive, to push) + ate (verb suffix)
- inter: Latin origin, meaning "between, among". A prefix indicating reciprocal or located action.
- pell: From Latin pellere, meaning "to drive, to push, to strike". This root appears in words like "compel" and "repel".
- ate: A verb-forming suffix of Latin origin, indicating an action or process.
Examples
The opposition leader rose to interpellate the minister on the recent policy failure.
Under parliamentary rules, a member may interpellate a cabinet secretary during the question period.
She prepared a detailed report to interpellate the agency director about the budget discrepancies.