Middle English (in the sense ‘(person) owing obedience’): from Old French suget, from Latin subjectus ‘brought under’, past participle of subicere, from sub- ‘under’ + jacere ‘throw’. Senses relating to philosophy, logic, and grammar are derived ultimately from Aristotle's use of to hupokeimenon meaning ‘material from which things are made’ and ‘subject of attributes and predicates’