'assiege' originates from Old French, specifically the word 'assieger', ultimately from Latin elements 'ad-' + 'sedēre', where 'ad-' meant 'to, toward' and 'sedēre' (from 'sedere') meant 'to sit.'

'assiege' changed from Old French 'assieger' (to sit down near, to besiege) and Middle English forms like 'assiegen' and eventually became the modern English word 'assiege'.

Initially, it meant 'to sit down near (a place)' (as in establishing a seat or camp beside a target), but over time it evolved into its current meaning of 'to surround and attack' and figuratively 'to harass or overwhelm by persistence.'