outstrip
UK[ˌaʊtˈstrɪp]US[ˌaʊtˈstrɪp]
v
To be or become greater in amount, degree, or success than something or someone.
v
To move faster than and overtake someone or something.
Morpheme Breakdown
out
strip
out
beyond
strip
to move swiftly
Etymology
The verb 'outstrip' is a compound formed within English from the native prefix 'out-' and the verb 'strip'. The now-obsolete verb 'strip' once carried the meaning "to move or pass quickly," a sense which emerged in Middle English. When combined, the literal sense was "to move swiftly beyond" someone or something. Over time, this physical sense of overtaking in a race extended metaphorically to encompass surpassing in any competitive context, such as in achievement, amount, or degree, solidifying its modern abstract meanings.
Analysis
Structure: out (beyond) + strip (to move swiftly)
- out: Old English, a prefix meaning "beyond, outside, to a point beyond."
- strip: Middle English (in the sense "to move quickly"), of uncertain origin, possibly related to "strip" meaning "to remove" in the sense of moving away swiftly.
Examples
Demand for the new product is likely to outstrip supply.
The company has consistently outstripped its rivals in innovation.
The cheetah can easily outstrip most other land animals.