overshadow

Etymology

Came into English via Middle English overschadwen, overschadewe, from Old English ofersċeadwian (“to overshadow”), equivalent to over- plus shadow. Compare West Frisian oerskaduwe (“to overshadow”), Dutch overschaduwen (“to overshadow”), German überschatten (“to overshadow”), Gothic ???????????? (ufarskadwjan, “to overshadow”), and, more distantly, Old Norse yfirskyggja (“to overshadow”), Danish overskygge (“to overshadow”), Swedish överskugga (“to overshadow”) and Old English ofersċūwan (“to overshadow”).