Advertisement
seduce (v.)
1520s, "to persuade a vassal, etc., to desert his allegiance or service," from Latin seducere "lead away, lead astray," from se- "aside, away" (see secret (n.)) + ducere "to lead," from PIE root *deuk- "to lead." Sexual sense, now the prevailing one, is attested from 1550s and apparently was not in Latin. Originally "entice (a woman) to a surrender of chastity." Related: Seduced; seducing.
Replaced Middle English seduisen (late 15c.), from French séduire "seduce," from Old French suduire "to corrupt, seduce," from Latin subducere "draw away, withdraw, remove" (see subduce).
Others are reading
Advertisement
Definitions of seduce from WordNet
Dictionary entries near seduce
sediment
sedimentary
sedimentation
sedition
seditious
seduce
seductible
seduction
seductive
seductress
sedulity