conquer

From Middle English conqueren, from Old French conquerre, from Late Latin conquaerere, meaning "to knock, strike" or "to search for, procure," itself from Latin con- plus quaerere, "to seek, acquire."

The Latin root's sense of seeking or procuring narrowed over time into the more forceful idea of striking or knocking, and eventually into the modern sense of overpowering or winning by force. It also replaced the native Old English word oferwinnan.

It shares its root quaerere ("to seek") with other English words built on the same Latin base, such as "acquire" and "require," though only quaerere itself is confirmed here.