A- (3) prefix meaning "not," from Gk a-, an- "not," from pie base *ne "not" (see un-)

cocktail --- first attested 1806; H.L. Mencken lists seven versions of its origin, perhaps the most persuasive is Fr. coquetier "egg-cup." In New Orleans, c.1795, Antoine Amédée Peychaud, an apothecary (and inventor of Peychaud bitters) held Masonic social gatherings at his pharmacy, where he mixed brandy toddies with his own bitters and served them in an egg-cup. The drink took the name of the cup, in Eng. cocktay. Cocktail party first attested 1928.

cocoa --- 1707, from Sp. cacao, from Nahuatl cacua, root form of cacahuatl "bean of the cocoa tree."

coconut --- 1613, from Sp./Port. coco "grinning face," on resemblance of the three holes at the base of the shell to a human face.

cocoon --- 1699, from Fr. coucon, from coque "clam shell, egg shell, nut shell," from O.Fr. coque "shell," from L. coccum "berry," from Gk. kokkos "berry, seed."

cocotte --- prostitute, 1867, from Fr., originally child's name for "hen."

cod --- 1273, cotfish, origin unknown; despite similarity of form it has no conclusive connection to the widespread Gmc. word for "bag" (cf. O.E. codd, source of codpiece, q.v.). Cod-liver oil known since at least 1615, recommended medicinally since 1783, but not popular as a remedy until after 1825.

coda --- 1753, from L. cauda "a tail."

coddle --- 1598, "boil gently," probably from caudle "warm drink for invalids," from Anglo-Fr. caudel (c.1300), ult. from L. calidium "warm drink," neut. of calidus "hot," from calere "be warm" (see calorie). Verb meaning "treat tenderly" first recorded 1815 (in Jane Austen's "Emma").

code --- 1303, from O.Fr. code "system of laws," from L. codex, earlier caudex "book, book of laws," lit. "tree trunk," hence, wooden tablet for writing. The sense in "secret code" is 1808. Codify first attested c.1800.

codeine --- 1838, from Fr. codéine, coined from Gk. kodeia "poppy head." Originally codeina, modern form is from 1881.

codex --- manuscript volume (especially an ancient one), 1845, see code.

codger --- 1756, probably a variant of cadger "beggar," origin unknown.

codicil --- c.1419, from M.Fr. codicille, from L. codicillus "a short writing," dim. of codex (gen. codicis), see code.

codpiece --- 1460, "a bagged appendage to the front of the breeches; often conspicuous" [OED], from O.E. codd "a bag, pouch," in M.E., "testicles."

codswallop --- said to be from 19c. (but first attested 1963), perhaps from wallop, British slang for "beer," and cod in one of its various senses, perhaps "testicles."

co-ed --- short for co-education, originally Amer.Eng., 1886 (first in Louisa Mae Alcott's "Jo's Boys"); meaning "girl or woman student at a co-educational institution" first recorded 1893.

coefficient --- 1665, from co- + efficient, probably influenced by Mod.L. coefficiens, used in mathematics 16c.

coelacanth --- 1857, from Mod.L. Coelacanthus (genus name), from Gk. koilos "hollow" + akantha "spine" (see acrid).

coerce --- c.1451, from M.Fr. cohercer, from L. coercere "to control, restrain," from com- "together" + arcere "to enclose, confine, contain, ward off," from PIE *ark- "to hold, contain, guard." Coercion in political sense of "government by force" first attested 1798, in reference to British authority in Ireland.

coeval --- formed in Eng. 1605 from L.L. coævus, from L. com- "equal" + ævum "an age."

coexistence --- peaceful relations between states of different ideologies, 1954, a Cold War term.

coffee --- 1598, from It. caffe, from Turk. kahveh, from Arabic qahwah "coffee," said originally to have meant "wine," but perhaps rather from Kaffa region of Ethiopia, a home of the plant (Coffee in Kaffa is called buno). Much initial diversity of spelling, including chaoua. Yemen was the first great coffee exporter and to protect its trade decreed that no living plant could leave the country. In 16c., a Muslim pilgrim brought some coffee beans from Yemen and raised them in India. Appeared in Europe (from Arabia) c.1515-1519. Introduced to England by 1650; by 1675 England had more than 3,000 coffee houses. Coffee plantations established in Brazil 1727. Meaning "a light meal at which coffee is served" is from 1774.

coffer --- c.1250, from O.Fr. cofre "a chest," from L. cophinus "basket" (see coffin).

coffin --- c.1330, from O.Fr. cofin "sarcophagus," earlier "basket, coffer," from L. cophinus "basket," from Gk. kophinos "a basket," of uncertain origin. Funeral sense in Eng. is 1525; before that it was literal and had also a meaning of "pie crust." Coffin nail "cigarette" is slang from 1880.

cog --- tooth on a wheel, c.1250, probably a borrowing from a Scandinavian language (cf. Norw. kugg "cog").

cogent --- 1659, from Fr. cogent "necessary, urgent" (14c.), from L. cogentem (nom. cogens), prp. of cogere "to curdle, to compel, to collect," from com- "together" + agere "to drive" (see act).

cognac --- 1594, "wine produced in Cognac," the region in western France. The sense of "brandy" is 1755, shortened from 17c. cognac brandy, which was distilled from cognac wine. The place name is from M.L. Comniacum, from the personal name Cominius and the Gallo-Roman suffix -acum.

cognate --- c.1645, from L. cognatus "of common descent," from com- "together" + gnatus, pp. of gnasci, older form of nasci "to be born." Words that are cognates are cousins, not siblings.

cognizance --- c.1350, from Anglo-Fr. conysance "recognition," later, "knowledge," from O.Fr. conissance "knowledge," from pp. of conoistre "to know," from L. cognoscere "to get to know, recognize," from co- "together" + gnoscere "to know" (see notice). The -g- was restored in Eng. spelling 15c. and has gradually affected the pronunciation. Hence, cognoscente (pl. cognoscenti), 1778, from It., from L.

cognomen --- 1809, from L. com- "with" + (g)nomen "name." Third or family name of a Roman citizen (Caius Julius Cæsar).

cohabit --- euphemism since c.1530 for couple living together without benefit of marriage (see habit).

Cohen --- Jewish surname indicating priestly descent, from Heb. kohen "priest," from base of kihen "he acted as priest," rel. to Arabic kahana "he divined, prophesied."

coherent --- c.1555, from M.Fr. cohérent, from L. cohærentem (nom. cohærens), prp. of cohærere "cohere," from com- "together" + hærere "to stick" (see hesitation).

cohesion --- 1678, from L. cohæsus, pp. of cohærere "to stick together" (see coherent).

cohort --- 1422, from L. cohortem, acc. of cohors "enclosure," meaning extended to "infantry company" in Roman army (a tenth part of a legion) through notion of "enclosed group, retinue," from com- "with" + root akin to hortus "garden," from PIE *ghr-ti-, from base *gher- "to grasp, enclose" (see yard (1)). Sense of "accomplice" is first recorded 1952, Amer.Eng.

coif --- close-fitting cap, c.1330, from O.Fr. coife, from L.L. coifa "a cap, hood," of W.Gmc. origin (cf. M.H.G. kupfe "cap").

coiffeur --- 1847, from Fr. word for "hairdresser," from coiffer "to dress hair," from O.Fr. coife, originally, "inner part of the helmet" (see coif). A woman hairdresser would properly be a coiffeuse.

coiffure --- style or fashion of wearing the hair, c.1631, from Fr. coiffer (see coiffeur).

coign --- archaic spelling of quoin (q.v.), surviving only in Shakespeare's coign of vantage ("Macbeth" I. vi.), popularized by Sir Walter Scott, properly "a projecting corner" (for observation).

coil --- 1611, from M.Fr. coillir "to gather, pick," from L. colligere "to gather together" (see collect). Meaning specialized perhaps in nautical usage.

coin (n.) --- 1304, from O.Fr. coigne "a wedge, cornerstone," from L. cuneus "a wedge." Die for stamping metal was wedge-shaped, and the word came to mean "thing stamped, a piece of money" by c.1386. To coin a phrase is c.1590. The "cornerstone" sense is now usually quoin.

coincide --- c.1641, from Fr. coincider (14c.), from M.L. coincidere (in astrological use), from L. co- "together" + incidere "to fall upon" (in- "upon + cadere "to fall;" see case (1)). Coincidence first recorded 1605.

coitus --- copulation, 1713, scientific L., from coition (1615) "sexual intercourse" (also in coitu), originally "coming together" (1541), from L.L. coitionem (nom. coitio), from pp. stem of L. coire, from co- "together" + ire "come, go." Used in Eng. in general senses of "meeting, uniting," and also of magnetic force, planetary conjunction, etc., before sexual sense came to predominate. Coitus interruptus coined 1900 by Havelock Ellis.

cojones --- courage, lit. "testicles," 1932, from Sp. cojon (cf. It. coglione) "testicle," from L. coleus, of unknown origin. First attested in Hemingway.

coke --- 1699, northern Eng. dial., perhaps a variant of M.E. colke "core, charcoal," itself possibly related to -colc, an O.E. word for "pit." The soft drink name is a shortening (first recorded 1909) of brand name Coca-Cola, trademark from 1887. As a shortened form of cocaine it dates from 1908, Amer.Eng.

cola --- 1795, "genus of trees native to west Africa, introduced in New World tropics," Latinized form of W.Afr. name of the tree (cf. Temne kola, Mandingo kolo). Meaning "carbonated soft drink" is 1920, short for Coca-Cola, Pepsi-Cola.

colander --- 1368, probably alt. from M.L. colatorium "strainer" (with parasitic -n-) from L. colatus, pp. of colare "to strain," from colum "sieve." Fr. cognate is couloir, Sp. colador, It. colatojo.

cold --- O.E. cald (Anglian), ceald (W.Saxon), from P.Gmc. *kaldaz, possibly pp. adj. of *kal-/*kol-, from PIE base *gel-/*gol- "cold." Japanese has two words for "cold:" samui for coldness in the atmosphere or environment; tsumetai for things which are cold to touch, and also in the fig. sense, with ref. to personalities, behaviors, etc. Sense in common cold is 1537, from symptoms resembling those of exposure to cold; cold-blooded (1595) refers to old notion that blood temperature rose with excitement; meaning "not strong" (in reference to scent) is 1592, from hunting. Cold-hearted (1606) is originally in Shakespeare. Cold feet is Amer.Eng., 1890s, but the presumed It. original (avegh minga frecc i pee) is a Lombard proverb meaning "to have no money." Cold shoulder (1816, first in Sir Walter Scott), is probably originally a literal figure, but commonly used with a punning reference to "cold shoulder of mutton," a dish. Cold War used in print Oct. 1945 by George Orwell (popularized in U.S. c.1947 by Bernard Baruch). Cold-call in the sales pitch sense first recorded 1972.

cold turkey --- without preparation, 1910; narrower sense of "withdrawal from an addictive substance" (originally heroin) first recorded 1921. Cold turkey is a food that requires little preparation, so "to quit like cold turkey" is to do so suddenly and without preparation.

coleoptera --- 1763, from Mod.L., from Gk. koleopteros, lit. "sheath-wing," used by Aristotle to describe beetles, from koleos "sheath" + pteron "wing" (see petition).

cole-slaw --- 1794, partial translation of Du. koolsla, from kool "cabbage" + sla "salad" (see slaw). Commonly cold slaw in Eng. until 1860s, when M.E. cole "cabbage" was revived from O.E. cawel (which is from L. colis, dial. variant of caulis "cabbage," and the source, too, of the Du. word).

colic --- c.1421, from L.L. colicus "pertaining to colic," from Gk. kolikos, belonging to the kolon "lower intestine" (see colon).

Colin --- from Fr., a dim. of Col, itself a dim. of Nicolas. A common shepherd's name in pastoral verse.

coliseum --- c.1710, M.L. variant of L. colosseum, amphitheater of Vespasian at Rome, neut. of adj. colosseus "gigantic" (see colossal).

collaborate --- 1871, back-formation from collaborator (1802), from Fr. collaborateur, from L. collaboratus, pp. of collaborare "work with," from com- "with" + labore "to work." Collaboration "traitorous cooperation with the enemy," dates from 1940, originally in reference to the Vichy Government of France.

collage --- 1919, from Fr. collage "a pasting," from O.Fr. coller "to glue," from Gk. kolla "glue." Earliest reference is in Wyndham Lewis.

collagen --- c.1865, from Fr. collagène, from Gk. kolla "glue."

collapse --- 1732, from L. collapsus, pp. of collabi "fall together," from com- "together" + labi "to fall, slip." The pp. collapsed is attested from 1609, from L. collapsus, and this seems to have suggested the verb.

collar --- 1297, from O.Fr. coler, from L. collare "necklace, band or chain for the neck," from collum "the neck," from PIE *kwol-o- "neck" (cf. O.N., M.Du. hals "neck"), lit. "that on which the head turns," from base *kwel- "move round, turn about" (see cycle). White collar is first attested 1919; blue-collar from 1951. Verb meaning "to capture" is attested from 1613.

collard --- 1755, Amer.Eng., corruption of colewort (M.E.) "cabbage," later especially "kale, greens," related to the cole in coleslaw.

collate --- 1612, from L. collatus, pp. of conferre "to bring together," from com- "together" + ferre "to bear" (see infer). Collation, with many meanings over the centuries, is attested from c.1374. As the title of a popular 5c. religious work by John Cassian, "Collation" was sometimes translated into O.E. as þurhtogenes.

collateral --- c.1378, from O.Fr. collateral, from M.L. collateralis "accompanying," lit. "side by side," from L. com- "together" + lateralis "of the side," from latus "a side" (see oblate (n.)). Collateral damage (usually a euphemism for "killing civilians") is U.S. military coinage, 1975.

colleague --- 1533, from M.Fr. collègue, from L. collega "partner in office," from com- "with" + leg-, stem of legare "to choose." So, "one chosen to work with another."

collect --- 1573 (trans.), from O.Fr. collecter (1371), from L. collectus, pp. of colligere "gather together," from com- "together" + legere "to gather." The intrans. sense is attested from 1794. Collection "group of things gathered together" is from 1460; as "money gathered for charitable or religious purposes" it is attested from 1535. As an adj. meaning "paid by the recipient" it is attested from 1893, originally with ref. to telegrams.

collective --- 1520, from the source of collect (q.v.). As a shortened form of collective farm (in the U.S.S.R.) it dates from 1925. Collectivism in socialist theory is from 1880. Collective bargaining coined 1891 by Beatrice Webb; defined in U.S. 1935 by the Wagner Act.

college --- c.1378, from O.Fr. collége, from L. collegium "community, society, guild," lit. "association of collegae" (see colleague). First meaning any corporate group, the sense of "academic institution" became principal in 19c. through Oxford and Cambridge, where it had been used since 1379. Collegiate is 1514, from M.L. collegiatus "of or having to do with a college."

collide --- 1621, from L. collidere "strike together," from com- "together" + lædere "to strike, injure by striking," of unknown origin.

collie --- 1651, possibly from dial. coaly "coal-black," the color of some breeds (cf. colley "sheep with black face and legs," attested from 1793; M.E. colfox "coal-fox," a variety of fox with tail and both ears tipped with black; and colley Somerset dialectal name for "blackbird"). Or from Scand. proper name Colle, known to have been applied to dogs ("Ran Colle our dogge, and Talbot, and Gerlond" [Chaucer]); or from a convergence of the two.

collier --- 1276, "charcoal maker and seller," from M.E. col (see coal). They were notorious for cheating. Sense of "ship for hauling coal" is from 1625.

Collins --- iced alcoholic drink served in a tall glass, 1944, U.S.

collision --- c.1432, from M.Fr. collision, from L. collisionem (nom. collisio), from collidere (see collide).

colloid --- 1847, from Fr. colloide (1845), from Gk. kolla "glue" + -eides "form."

colloquial --- 1751, from colloquy "a conversation" (1459), from L. colloquium "conference, conversation," from com- "together" + loqui "speak." Colloquialism first attested 1810. Colloquium itself was borrowed from L. 1609.

collusion --- 1389, from O.Fr. collusion, from L. collusionem "act of colluding," from colludere, from com- "together" + ludere "to play," from ludus "game" (see ludicrous).

collywobbles --- 1823, fanciful formation from colic and wobble.

cologne --- 1814, Cologne water, loan-transl. of Fr. eau de Cologne, lit. "water from Cologne," from the city in Germany (Ger. Köln, from L. Colonia Agrippina) where it was made, first by It. chemist Johann Maria Farina, who had settled there in 1709.

colon (1) --- punctuation mark, 1550, from Gk. kolon (with a long initial -o-) "part of a verse," lit. "limb," from PIE base *(s)kel- "to bend, crooked." Meaning evolved from "independent clause" to punctuation mark that sets it off.

colon (2) --- large intestine, 1398, from Gk. kolon (with a short initial -o-) "large intestine, food, meat."

colonel --- 1548, coronell, from M.Fr. coronel, modified by dissimilation from It. colonnella "commander of a column of soldiers at the head of a regiment," from compagna colonella "little column company," from L. columna "pillar" (see hill). Eng. spelling modified 1583 to conform with It., but the earlier pronunciation was retained.

colonnade --- 1718, from Fr. colonnade, from It. colonnato, from colonna, from L. columna "pillar" (see hill).

colony --- c.1384, "ancient Roman settlement outside Italy," from L. colonia "settled land, farm, landed estate," from colonus "husbandman, tenant farmer, settler in new land," from colere "to inhabit, cultivate, frequent, practice, tend, guard, respect," from PIE base *kwel- "move around" (source of L. -cola "inhabitant;" see cycle). Also used by the Romans to translate Gk. apoikia "people from home." Modern application dates from 1548. Colonize is from 1622; colonial first recorded 1776, coined by British statesman Edmund Burke (1729-97). Colonialism first attested 1886.

colophon --- 1774, "publisher's inscription at the end of a book," from L. colophon, from Gk. kolophon "summit, final touch" (see hill).

color --- c.1225, from O.Fr. colur, from L. color (acc. colorem) "color, hue," from Old L. colos, orig. "a covering" (akin to celare "to hide, conceal"), from PIE base *kel- "to cover, conceal" (see cell). O.E. words for "color" were hiw, bleo. The verb is from c.1300, earliest use is figurative. Colorful "interesting" is from 1889. Color-blind first recorded 1844. Colors "flag of a regiment or ship" is from 1590. Colored in reference to "non-white skin" dates from 1611. Coloring book is from 1931.

Colorado --- the U.S. state is named for the river, Sp. Rio Colorado "colored river."

colossal --- 1712 (colossic in the same sense is recorded from 1607), from Fr. colossal, from colosse, from L. colossus, from Gk. kolossos, of unknown origin, used by Herodotus of giant Egyptian statues, and used by Romans of the bronze Apollo at the entrance to the harbor of Rhodes. Colossus is from 1398; generalized sense of "anything awesomely vast" is from 1794.

colostomy --- 1888, from colon (2) + Gk. stoma "opening."

colour --- See color.

colt --- O.E. colt, originally "young ass," in Biblical translations also used for "young camel," probably from P.Gmc. *kultaz and akin to child. Applied to persons from c.1225. The type of revolver (1838) was originally the manufacture of U.S. gunsmith Samuel Colt (1814-62).

columbine --- c.1310, from M.L. columbina, from L.L. columbina "verbena," fem. of L. columbinus "dovelike," from columba "dove." The inverted flower supposedly resembles a cluster of five doves. In It. Comedy, the name of the mistress of Harlequin.

Columbus --- his name is Latinized from his native It. Cristoforo Colombo, in Sp. Christobal Colon. "America was discovered accidentally by a great seaman who was looking for something else, and most of the exploration for the next fifty years was done in the hope of getting through or around it." [S.E. Morison, "The Oxford History of the United States," 1965]

column --- c.1440, "vertical division of a page," from O.Fr. colombe, from L. columna "pillar," collateral form of columen "top, summit," from PIE base *kel- "to project" (see hill). Sense of "matter written for a newspaper" dates from 1785. Columnist dates from 1920. Literal, architectural sense is attested from 1481.

com- --- from L., archaic form of classical L. cum "together, together with, in combination," the prefix sometimes used as an intensive, from PIE *kom- "beside, near, by, with" (cf. O.E. ge-, Ger. ge-).

coma --- 1646, from Gk. koma (gen. komatos) "deep sleep." Comatose first recorded 1755.

Comanche --- 1819, from Sp., from a Shoshonean language, cf. Ute kimánci "enemy, foreigner." Comanchero was a 19c. name given to Hispanic and American traders who dealt with the Comanches.

comb --- O.E. camb "comb," lit. "toothed object," from W.Gmc. *kambaz, from PIE *gombhos, from base *gembh- "to bite, tooth" (cf. Gk. gomphos "a molar tooth," Skt. gambha-s "tooth"). As a verb, replaced O.E. cemban, which survives in unkempt.

combat (v.) --- 1489 (implied in combatant), from M.Fr. combattre, from L.L. combattere, from L. com- "with" (each other) + battuere "to beat, fight" (see batter (v.)). The noun is first recorded 1567.

combine --- c.1440, from M.Fr. combiner, from L.L. combinare "to unite, yoke together," from L. com- "together" + bini "two by two," adv. from bi- "twice." Combine "machine that cuts, threshes and cleans grain" (short for combine harvester) first attested 1857. Combo, U.S. slang shortening of combination, first attested 1929.

combustion --- c.1600 (combustibility is attested from 1471), from O.Fr. combustion, from L. combustionem (nom. combustio), from comburere "to burn," from com- intens. prefix + *burere, faulty sep. of amburere "to burn around," actually ambi-urere, from urere "to burn, singe."

come --- O.E. cuman "come" (class IV strong verb; past tense cuom, com, pp. cumen), from P.Gmc. *kwem-, from PIE base *gwem- "to go, come" (cf. Skt. gamati "he goes," Avestan jamaiti "goes," Tocharian kakmu "come," Lith. gemu "to be born," Gk. bainein "to go, walk, step," L. venire "to come"). Substitution of -o- for -u- is scribal change before minims, cf. monk, some, worm, orig. munuc, sum, wyrm. Past tense form is probably from O.N. kvam, replacing O.E. cuom. Amazingly productive with prepositions (NTC's "Dictionary of Phrasal Verbs" lists 198 combinations); consider the varied senses in come to "regain consciousness," come over "possess" (as an emotion), come at "attack," and come off "occur." For slang sexual senses, see cum. Come-back "verbal retort" is from 1889.

comedy --- 1374, from O.Fr. comedie, from L. comoedia, from Gk. komoidia "a comedy, amusing spectacle," from komodios "singer in the revels," from komos "revel, carousal" + oidos "singer, poet," from aeidein "to sing." The classical sense is similar to the modern one, but in the Middle Ages the word came to mean poems and stories generally (albeit ones with happy endings), and the earliest Eng. sense is "narrative poem" (cf. Dante's "Commedia"). Comedy aims at entertaining by the fidelity with which it presents life as we know it; farce at raising laughter by the outrageous absurdity of the situation or characters exhibited; extravaganza at diverting by its fantastic nature; burlesque at tickling the fancy of the audience by caricaturing plays or actors with whose style it is familiar. Generalized sense of "quality of being amusing" dates from 1877. Comedian "comic actor" is 1601; meaning "professional entertainer who tells jokes, etc." is 1898; comédienne, from Fr. fem. form, attested 1860.

comely --- O.E. cymlic "lovely, splendid, finely made," from cyme "exquisite, glorious, delicate," from W.Gmc. *kumi- "delicate, feeble." Or perhaps the modern word is from M.E. bicumelic "suitable, exquisite," lit. "becomely."

comestible (n.) --- 1837, "article of food," from Fr. comestible, from L.L. comestibilis, from L. comestus, pp. of comedere "eat up, consume," from com- "thoroughly" + edere "to eat" (see edible). It was attested earlier as an adj. (1483) meaning "fit to eat" but seems to have fallen from use 17c., and the word was reintroduced from Fr.