English dictionary, thesaurus, translations & etymology
FreeDict.com
verb

suborn

Suborn (verb) means to induce (someone) to commit an unlawful or malicious act, especially in a corrupt manner.

verb
1
To induce (someone) to commit an unlawful or malicious act, especially in a corrupt manner.
2
To induce (someone, such as a witness) to commit perjury, for example by making a false accusation or giving false evidence.
3
To achieve (some result; specifically, perjury) in a corrupt manner.
4
To procure or provide (something) secretly and often in a dishonest manner.
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.
Test yourself on “suborn” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage

Etymology

PIE word *upó Borrowed from Anglo-Norman suburner, subhorner, and Middle French suborner, subourner (“to induce (someone) to commit a crime (specifically perjury) or wrongdoing”) (modern French suborner (“to suborn; to bribe”)), and from its etymon Latin subōrnāre, the present active infinitive of subōrnō (“to incite, instigate, suborn; to instruct one for a secret purpose; to adorn, dress; to equip, furnish, provide; to make one appear as (something)”), from sub- (prefix meaning ‘under’) + ōrnō (“to equip, furnish, provide; to adorn, decorate, ornament”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₂er- (“to put together, fit; to fix; to slot”)). Cognates * Catalan subornar * Italian subornare * Old Occitan subornar, sobornar * Portuguese subornar * Spanish subornar (obsolete), sobornar

Frequently asked questions

What is the meaning of suborn?

"suborn" (verb) means to induce (someone) to commit an unlawful or malicious act, especially in a corrupt manner.

What are the different meanings of suborn?

"suborn" has 3 main meanings: 1. To induce (someone) to commit an unlawful or malicious act, especially in a corrupt manner; 2. To induce (someone, such as a witness) to commit perjury, for example by making a false accusation or giving false evidence; 3. To achieve (some result; specifically, perjury) in a corrupt manner.

Definitions from wiktionary, CC BY-SA · etymology from Wiktionary