noun
surprise
suh-PRYZ
noun
1
Something unexpected, or the feeling caused by it.
"The party was a total surprise to her."
"He couldn't hide his surprise at the news."
verb
1
To cause someone to feel astonished by something unexpected.
"The twist ending surprised everyone in the theatre."
"She surprised her parents by visiting unannounced."
How to Use Surprise
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishSomething unexpected, the feeling it causes, or the act of causing that feeling.
Common pairings
a surprise party
catch someone by surprise
to everyone's surprise
Word Forms
surprised past tense, surprises plural, surprises singular
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Etymology
From Old French surprendre ("to overtake"), from sur- ("over") + prendre ("to take"), from Latin prehendere ("to grasp, seize").