Definition of the word sufferance

The word "sufferance" originated in Middle English around the 14th century, derived from the Old French word "soffrance," meaning "endurance" or "patient suffering." The Old French word, in turn, was derived from the Latin word "sufferantia," which had a similar meaning. In English, the word "sufferance" has evolved over time to convey both the noun meaning of "the act or state of permitting or tolerating" and the verb meaning of "to tolerate or permit." The noun meaning of "sufferance" is often used in legal contexts, particularly in relation to the time period before a rental or lease agreement comes into effect, often referred to as the "holding period" or "sufferance period." The verb form of "sufferance" is less commonly used today, with alternatives such as "tolerate" or "permit" being more commonly employed in modern English. Nonetheless, "suffer" in the sense of "to bear or experience" remains a common word in English, with the use of the root "suffer-" in other words such as "sufferance" and "suffering" illustrating the word's etymological origins.