Origin: 1400–50;sur-1 + cease; replacing late Middle Englishsursesen (v.) < Middle Frenchsursis (past participle of surseoir) < Latinsupersessus (past participle of supersedēre to forbear; see supersede), equivalent to super-super- + sed(ēre) sit1 + -tus past participle suffix, with dt > ss
early 15c., from Anglo-Fr. surseser, from O.Fr. sursis, pp. of surseoir "to refrain, delay," from L. supersedere (see supersede). The English spelling with -c- was influenced by the unrelated verb cease.