c. 1600, "act of carrying off," from Middle French

rapture

, from Medieval Latin

raptura

"seizure, rape, kidnapping," from Latin

raptus

"a carrying off, abduction, snatching away; rape" (see

rapt

). Earliest attested use in English is of women and in 17c. it sometimes meant

rape

(v.), which word is a cognate of this. Sense of "spiritual ecstasy, state of mental transport" first recorded c. 1600 (

raptures

).