- commensurable (adj.)
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- 1550s, from Late Latin commensurabilis "having a common measure," from com- "together with" (see com-) + Latin mensurabilis "that can be measured," from mensurare "to measure," from mensura "measure" (see measure (v.)).
- commensurate (adj.)
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- 1640s, from Late Latin commensuratus, from Latin com- "with" (see com-) + Late Latin mensuratus, past participle of mensurare "to measure," from mensura (see measure (v.)).
- comment (n.)
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- late 14c., from Old French coment "commentary" or directly from Late Latin commentum "comment, interpretation," in classical Latin "invention, fabrication, fiction," neuter past participle of comminisci "to contrive, devise," from com-, intensive prefix (see com-), + base of meminisse "to remember," related to mens (genitive mentis) "mind" (see mind (n.)). The Latin word meaning "something invented" was taken by Isidore and other Christian theologians for "interpretation, annotation." No comment as a stock refusal to answer a journalist's question is first recorded 1950, from Truman's White House press secretary, Charles Ross.
- comment (v.)
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- early 15c., from Middle French commenter (15c.), from Latin commentari, from commentum (see comment (n.)). Related: Commented; commenting.
- commentary (n.)
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- 1530s, from Middle French commentaire, or directly from Latin commentarius "notebook, annotation; diary, memoir," noun use of adjective, "relating to comments," from commentum (see comment (n.)). Perhaps the Latin noun is short for volumen commentarium. Originally in English as an adjective (early 15c.).
- commentate (v.)
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- 1794, "to comment," back-formation from commentator. Meaning "to deliver commentary" is attested from 1939 (implied in commentating). Related: Commentated; commentating.
- commentator (n.)
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- late 14c., "writer of commentaries," agent noun in Latin form from comment or commentary (Latin commentator meant "inventor, author"). Middle English also had a noun commentate, attested from early 15c. Meaning "writer of notes or expository comments" is from 1640s; sense of "one who gives commentary" (originally in sports) is from 1928.
"Well, Jem, what is a commentator?["]--"Why," was Jem's reply, "I suppose it must be the commonest of all taturs." ["Smart Sayings of Bright Children," collected by Howard Paul, 1886]
- commerce (n.)
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- 1530s, from Middle French commerce (14c.), from Latin commercium "trade, trafficking," from com- "together" (see com-) + merx (genitive mercis) "merchandise" (see market (n.)).
- commercial (adj.)
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- 1680s, "pertaining to trade," from commerce + -al (1). Meaning "paid for by advertisements" (in reference to radio, TV, etc.) is from 1932; meaning "done for the sake of financial profit" (of art, etc.) is from 1871. Related: Commercially.
- commercial (n.)
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- "an advertisement broadcast on radio or TV," 1935, from commercial (adj.).
- commercialism (n.)
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- "principles and practice of commerce," 1849, from commercial (adj.) + -ism.
- commercialization (n.)
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- 1889, from commercialize + -ation.
- commercialize (v.)
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- 1830, from commercial (adj.) + -ize. Related: Commercialized; commercializing.
- commingle (v.)
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- 1620s, from com- + mingle. See comingle. Related: Commingled; commingling.
- comminute (v.)
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- 1620s, from Latin comminutus, past participle of comminuere "to lessen, break into smaller parts," from com- "together" (see com-) + minuere "to make smaller" (see minus). Related: Comminuted; comminuting.
- commiserate (v.)
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- c. 1600, from Latin commiseratus, past participle of commiserari "to pity, bewail" (see commiseration). Related: Commiserated; commiserating. An Old English loan-translation of commiserate was efensargian.
- commiseration (n.)
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- 1580s, from Middle French commisération, from Latin commiserationem (nominative commiseratio) "act or fact of pitying," noun of action from past participle stem of commiserari "to pity," from com- intensive prefix (see com-) + miserari "bewail, lament," from miser "wretched" (see miser).
- commissar (n.)
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- 1918, from Russian komissar, from German Kommissar "commissioner," from French, ultimately from Medieval Latin commissarius (see commissary).
- commissariat (n.)
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- c. 1600, in Scottish law, "commissary court," from French commissariat, from Medieval Latin *commissariatus, from commissarius (see commissary). Military use is from 1779. In reference to the USSR, "ministry," from 1918.
- commissary (n.)
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- mid-14c., "one to whom special duty is entrusted by a higher power," from Medieval Latin commissarius, from Latin commissus "entrusted," past participle of committere (see commit). Originally ecclesiastical; the military sense of "official in charge of supply of food, stores, transport" dates to late 15c. Hence "storeroom" (1882) and "dining room in a larger facility" (1929, American English).
- commission (n.)
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- mid-14c., "authority entrusted to someone," from Latin commissionem (nominative commissio) "delegation of business," noun of action from past participle stem of committere (see commit). Meaning "body of persons charged with authority" is from late 15c.
- commission (v.)
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- 1660s, from commission (n.). Related: Commissioned; commissioning.
- commissioner (n.)
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- early 15c., "one appointed by a commission," from Anglo-French commissionaire, from Medieval Latin commissionarius, from commissionem (see commission (n.)). Meaning "member of a commission" is from 1530s.
- commit (v.)
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- late 14c., "to give in charge, entrust," from Latin committere "to unite, connect, combine; to bring together," from com- "together" (see com-) + mittere "to put, send" (see mission). Evolution into modern range of meanings is not entirely clear. Sense of "perpetrating" was ancient in Latin; in English from mid-15c. The intransitive use (in place of commit oneself) first recorded 1982, probably influenced by existentialism use (1948) of commitment to translate Sartre's engagement "emotional and moral engagement."
- commitment (n.)
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- 1610s, "action of officially consigning to the custody of the state," from commit + -ment. (Anglo-French had commettement.) Meaning "the committing of oneself, pledge, promise" is attested from 1793; hence, "an obligation, an engagement" (1864).
- committal (n.)
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- 1620s, from commit + -al (2). As an adjective, attested from 1884, apparently a back-formation from non-committal.
- committed (adj.)
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- 1590s, "entrusted, delegated," past participle adjective from commit (v.). Meaning "locked into a commitment" is from 1948.
- committee (n.)
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- 1620s, from commit + -ee, or else a revival of Anglo-French commite, past participle of commettre "to commit," from Latin committere "to unite, connect" (see commit). Originally "person to whom something is committed" (late 15c.); from 17c. in reference to a body of such people.
- commode (n.)
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- 1786, "chest of drawers," earlier (1680s) name of a type of fashionable ladies' headdress, from French commode, noun use of adjective meaning "convenient, suitable," from Latin commodus "proper, fit, appropriate, convenient, satisfactory," from com-, intensive prefix (see com-), + modus "measure, manner" (see mode (n.1)). Meaning "chair housing a chamber pot" first attested 1851 from notion of "convenience."
- commodification (n.)
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- 1968, from commodity + -fication. Originally in Marxist political theory, "the assignment of a market value," often to some quality or material the user of the word feels would be better without it.
- commodify (v.)
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- 1971, back-formation from commodification. Related: Commodified; commodifying.
- commodious (adj.)
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- early 15c., "beneficial, convenient," from Medieval Latin commodiosus "convenient, useful," from Latin commodus (see commode). Meaning "roomy, spacious" first attested 1550s. Related: Commodiously; commodiousness.
- commoditization (n.)
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- 1965, from commodity + -ization; the businessman's word; the Marxist's is commodification.
- commodity (n.)
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- early 15c., "benefit, profit, welfare;" later "a convenient or useful product," from Middle French commodité "benefit, profit," from Latin commoditatem (nominative commoditas) "fitness, adaptation, convenience, advantage," from commodus "suitable, convenient" (see commode). General sense "property possession" is from c. 1500.
- commodore (n.)
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- 1690s, probably via Dutch kommandeur from French commandeur, from Old French comandeor (see commander). In U.S. Navy, above a captain, below a rear-admiral.
- common (adj.)
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- c. 1300, "belonging to all, general," from Old French comun "common, general, free, open, public" (9c., Modern French commun), from Latin communis "in common, public, shared by all or many; general, not specific; familiar, not pretentious," from PIE *ko-moin-i- "held in common," compound adjective formed from *ko- "together" + *moi-n-, suffixed form of root *mei- (1) "change, exchange" (see mutable), hence literally "shared by all."
Second element of the compound also is the source of Latin munia "duties, public duties, functions," those related to munia "office." Perhaps reinforced in Old French by the Germanic form of PIE *ko-moin-i- (compare Old English gemæne "common, public, general, universal;" see mean (adj.)), which came to French via Frankish.
Used disparagingly of women and criminals since c. 1300. Common pleas is 13c., from Anglo-French communs plets, hearing civil actions by one subject against another as opposed to pleas of the crown. Common prayer is contrasted with private prayer. Common stock is attested from 1888.
- common (n.)
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- late 15c., "land held in common," from common (adj.). Commons "the third estate of the English people as represented in Parliament," is from late 14c. Latin communis also served as a noun meaning "common property, state, commonwealth."
- common good (n.)
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- late 14c., translating Latin bonum publicum "the common weal."
- common law (n.)
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- mid-14c., "the customary and unwritten laws of England as embodied in commentaries and old cases" (see common (adj.)), as opposed to statute law. Phrase common law marriage is attested from 1909.
- common sense (n.)
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- 14c., originally the power of uniting mentally the impressions conveyed by the five physical senses, thus "ordinary understanding, without which one is foolish or insane" (Latin sensus communis, Greek koine aisthesis); meaning "good sense" is from 1726. Also, as an adjective, commonsense.
- commonality (n.)
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- late 14c., "a community," from common (adj.), as if from Latin *communalitas. A respelling of commonalty (late 13c.). Meaning "the common people" is attested from 1580s; that of "state or quality of being shared" is from 1954.
- commoner (n.)
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- early 14c. (in commoners), from common (adj.).
- commonly (adv.)
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- c. 1300, "in a way common to all," also "common to all;" also "usually," from common (adj.) + -ly (2).
- commonplace (n.)
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- 1540s, "a statement generally accepted," literal translation of Latin locus communis, from Greek koinos topos "general topic." See common (adj.) + place (n.). The adjectival sense of "having nothing original" dates from c. 1600.
- commonsensical (adj.)
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- 1860, from common sense, with ending as in nonsensical, etc.
- commonwealth (n.)
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- late 15c., "public welfare, general good," from common (adj.) + wealth (n.); meaning "the state" is attested from 1510s; applied specifically to the government of England in the period 1649-1660.
- commotion (n.)
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- late 14c., from Middle French commocion "violent motion, agitation" (12c., Modern French commotion), from Latin commotionem (nominative commotio) "violent motion, agitation," noun of action from past participle stem of commovere "to move, disturb," from com- "together," or "thoroughly" (see com-) + movere "to move" (see move (v.)).
- communal (adj.)
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- 1811 in reference to communes; 1843 in reference to communities, from French communal (Old French comunal, 12c.), from Late Latin communalis, from communa (see commune (n.)).
- communalism (n.)
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- 1871 (in reference to Paris), from communal + -ism.
- commune (v.)
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- c. 1300, "have dealings with," from Old French comuner "to make common, share" (10c., Modern French communier), from comun (see common (adj.)). Meaning "to talk intimately" is late 14c. Related: Communed; communing.