- surround
- 1423, "to flood, overflow," from M.Fr. soronder "to overflow, abound, surpass, dominate," from L.L. superundare "overflow," from L. super "over" (see super-) + undare "to flow in waves," from unda "wave" (see water; and cf. abound). Sense of "to shut in on all sides" first recorded 1616, influenced by figurative meaning in Fr. of "dominate," and by sound association with round. First record of surroundings in sense of "environment" is from 1861.