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

consecutive --- 1611, from Fr. consécutif (fem. consécutive), from M.Fr., from M.L. consecutivus, from L. consecutus "following closely," pp. of consequi (see consequence).

consent --- c.1225, from O.Fr. consentir, from L. consentire "feel together," from com- "with" + sentire "to feel." "Feeling together," hence, "agreeing, giving permission," a sense evolution that apparently took place in Fr. before the word reached Eng. Consensual is 1754; consensus is 1843.

consequence --- c.1380, from O.Fr. consequence "result," from L. consequentia, from consequentem (nom. consequens), prp. of consequi "to follow after," from com- "with" + sequi "to follow" (see sequel). Sense of "importance" (1602) is from notion of being "pregnant with consequences."

conservative --- as a modern political tradition, conservatism traces to Edmund Burke's opposition to the Fr. Revolution (1790), but the word conservative is not found in his writing. It was coined by his Fr. disciples, (e.g. Chateaubriand, who titled his journal defending clerical and political restoration "Le Conservateur"). Conservative as the name of a British political faction it first appeared in an 1830 issue of the "Quarterly Review," in an unsigned article sometimes attributed to John Wilson Croker. It replaced Tory (q.v.) by 1843, reflecting both a change from the pejorative name (in use for 150 years) and repudiation of some reactionary policies. Extended to similar spirits in other parties from 1845. "Strictly speaking, conservatism is not a political system, but rather a way of looking at the civil order. The conservative of Peru ... will differ greatly from those of Australia, for though they may share a preference for things established, the institutions and customs which they desire to preserve are not identical." [Russell Kirk (1918-1994)]

conservatory --- greenhouse, 1664, from conserve (q.v.). In sense "school for performing arts" it is recorded from 1842, from It. conservatorio or Fr. conservatoire, originally "hospital for foundlings in which musical education was given."

conserve --- c.1380, from O.Fr. conserver, from L. conservare "to keep, preserve," from com- intens. prefix + servare "keep watch, maintain" (see observe). Conservation and conservationist in the environmentalism sense are from 1922.

consider --- 1375, from O.Fr. considerer, from L. considerare "to look at closely, observe," lit. "to observe the stars," from com- "with" + sidus (gen. sideris) "constellation." Perhaps a metaphor from navigation, but more likely reflecting Roman obsession with divination by astrology. Tucker doubts the connection with sidus, however, since it is "quite inapplicable to desiderare," and suggests derivation instead from the root of Eng. side meaning "stretch, extend," and a sense for the full word of "survey on all sides" or "dwell long upon." Considerable "pretty large" is from 1651; considerate "thoughtful of others" is from 1700.

consign --- c.1430, from M.Fr. consigner, from L. consignare "to seal, register," originally "to mark with a sign," from com- "together" + signare "to sign, mark," from signum "sign." Originally "to ratify by a sign or seal;" commercial sense is from 1653.

consist --- 1526, from L. consistere "to stand firm," from com- "together" + sistere "to place," caus. of stare "to be standing" (see assist). Consistory "meeting place" is from c.1320.

consistent --- 1574, "standing firm," from L. consistentem (nom. consistens), prp. of consistere (see consist). Modern sense of "agreeing" (with with) is first attested 1646. Older sense survives in consistency (1594).

console (n.) --- 1706, from Fr. console "a bracket," possibly from M.Fr. consolateur, lit. "one who consoles," word used for carved human figures supporting cornices, shelves or rails in choir stalls. Originally "a cabinet," then "organ body" (1881), "radio cabinet" (1925), then "cabinet for a TV, stereo etc." (1944).

console (v.) --- 1693, from Fr. consoler, from L. consolari "offer solace," from com- intensive prefix + solari "to comfort" (see solace). The L. word is glossed in O.E. by frefran. Consolation dates to 1374.

consolidation --- c.1400, from L. consolidationem, from consolidare, from com- "together" + solidare "to make solid," from solidus (see solid).

consonant (n.) --- c.1308, from L. consonantem (nom. consonans), prp. of consonare "to sound together," from com- "with" + sonare, from sonus "sound" (see sound (n.1)). Consonants thought of as sounds that are only produced together with vowels.

consort (n.) --- 1419, "partner," from M.Fr. consort "colleague, partner, wife," from L. consortem (nom. consors, gen. consortis) "partner, neighbor," from com- "with" + sors "a share, lot" (see sort). Sense of "husband or wife" ("partner in marriage") is 1634. The verb is from 1588. Confused in form and sense with concert since 1584. Consortium is 1829, from L., lit. "partnership."

conspicuous --- 1545, from L. conspicuus "open to view," from conspicere "to look at, observe," from com- intensive prefix + specere (see scope (1)). Phrase conspicuous by its absence (1859) is said to be from Tacitus ("Annals" iii.76), in a passage about certain images: "sed præfulgebant ... eo ipso quod effigies eorum non visebantur."

conspire --- c.1300, from O.Fr. conspirer, from L. conspirare "to agree, unite, plot," lit. "to breathe together," from com- "together" + spirare "to breathe" (see spirit). Conspiracy is from 1386; conspiracy theory is from 1909.

constable --- c.1200, from O.Fr. conestable, principal officer of the Frankish king's household, from L.L. comes stabuli, lit. "count of the stable" (established by Theodosian Code, c.438 C.E.), hence, "chief groom." Probably a translation of a Gmc. word. Meaning "an officer of the peace" is from 1597, transferred to "police officer" 1836.

constant --- c.1386, "steadfast, resolute," from L. constantem (nom. constans) "standing firm, stable, steadfast," prp. of constare, from com- "together" + stare "to stand," from PIE base *sta- "to stand" (see stet). Of actions and conditions from 1653.

Constantinople --- The proper name from 330 C.E. to 1930 C.E. of what is now Istanbul, from Gk. Konstantinou polis "Constantine's city," named for Roman emperor Flavius Valerius Aurelius Constantinus, whose name is derived from L. constans (see constant).

constellation --- c.1320, from O.Fr. constellation, from L.L. constellationem (nom. constellatus) "set with stars," from L. com- "with" + pp. of stellare "to shine," from stella "star." Originally in astrology, of position of planets ("stars") in regard to one another on a given day, usually one's birth day, as a determination of one's character. "I folwed ay myn inclinacioun/By vertu of my constillacioun" (Chaucer, "Wife's Prologue," c.1386). Modern astronomical sense is from 1551.

consternation --- 1611, from Fr. consternation, from L. consternationem (nom. consternatio), from consternare "overcome, confuse, dismay," from com- intensive prefix + sternare "throw down."

constipation --- c.1400, from L.L. constipationem, from L. constipare "to press or crowd together," from com- "together" + stipare "to cram, pack" (see stiff). Specifically of the bowel condition since 1549.

constitute --- 1442, verb use of adjective, "made up, formed" (14c.), from L. constitutus, pp. of constituere "to fix, establish," from com- intensive prefix + statuere "to set" (see statue). Constitution "health, strength, vitality" is from 1553; the political sense evolved after 1689. Constitutional (n.), short for constitutional walk is first recorded 1829. Constituency first recorded 1831.

constrain --- c.1340, from stem of O.Fr. constreindre, from L. constringere "to bind together, tie tightly," from com- "together" + stringere "to draw tight" (see strain (v.)).

constrict --- c.1400 (constriction), from L. constrictus, pp. of constringere "compress" (see constrain). A direct borrowing from L. of the same word which, via Fr., became constrain.

construction --- 1432, from L. constructionem, from pp. stem of construere "pile up together, build," from com- "together" + struere "to pile up" (see structure). Constructive is from early 15c. Constructionist (usually with strict or loose) in reference to U.S. Constitution, first attested c.1844.

construe --- 1362, from L.L. construere "to relate grammatically," in classical L. "to pile together;" see construct, which is a later acquisition of the same word.

consul --- 1382, from L. consul "magistrate in ancient Rome," probably originally "one who consults the Senate," from consulere "to deliberate, take counsel" (see consultation). Modern sense began with use as appellation of various foreign officials and magistrates, "a representative chosen by a community of merchants living in a foreign country" (1599), an extended sense that developed 13c. in the Sp. form of the word.

consultation --- 1425, from M.Fr. consultation, from L. consultationem, from consultare "consult," frequentative of consulere "to deliberate, consider," orig. probably "to call together," as in consulere senatum "to gather the senate" (to ask for advice), from com- "with" + *selere "take, gather (the Senate) together," from PIE base *sal- "to take, seize." Consult (v.) is from 1548.

consume --- c.1380, from L. consumere "to use up, eat, waste," from com- intensive prefix + sumere "to take," from sub- "under" + emere "to buy, take" (see exempt). Economic sense of consumer (opposite of producer) first recorded 1746. Consumerism is from 1944 in the sense of "protection of the consumer's interest;" modern sense of "consumption as an economic policy" is from 1960.

consummation --- 1398, "completion," from L. consummationem, from consummare "to sum up, finish," from com- "together" + summa "sum, total," from summus "highest." Sense of "completion of a marriage (by sexual intercourse)" is c.1530. Consummate (adj.), of persons, is from 1643.

consumption --- 1398, from O.Fr. consomption, from L. consumptionem (nom. consumptio) "a using up, wasting," from consumptus, pp. of consumere (see consume). Earliest sense in Eng. was of wasting disease, in which it replaced O.E. yfeladl "the evil disease." Meaning "the using up of material" is c.1535.

contact (n.) --- 1626, from L. contactus "a touching," pp. of contingere "to touch, seize," from com- "together" + tangere "to touch" (see tangent). The verb is 1834, "put in contact;" meaning "get in touch with" is 1927, Amer.Eng. As a signal to the person about to spin an aircraft propeller that the ignition is switched on, the word was in use by 1913. Contact lens is first recorded 1888; short form contact is from 1961.

contagious --- c.1374, from O.Fr. contagieus, from L.L. contagiosus, from contingere "touch closely" (see contact).

contain --- c.1290, from O.Fr. contenir, from L. continere (transitive) "to hold together, enclose," from com- "together" + tenere "to hold" (see tenet). Containment as a foreign policy strategy is from 1947.

contaminate --- 1526, from O.Fr. contaminer, from L. contaminatus, pp. of contaminare "to defile," from contamen "contact, pollution," from com- "together" + *tag-, base of tangere "to touch" (see tangent).

contemplation --- c.1225, from O.Fr. contemplation, from L. contemplationem "act of looking at," from contemplari "to gaze attentively, observe," orig. "to mark out a space for observation" (as an augur does). From com- intensive prefix + templum "area for the taking of auguries" (see temple). Originally in Eng., "religious musing." Contemplate is from 1592; contemplative is from 1340.

contemporary --- 1631, from M.L. contemporarius, from L. con- "with" + temporarius "of time," from tempus "time" (see temper). Meaning "modern" is from 1866. Noun sense of "one who lives at the same time as another" is from 1646, replacing native time-fellow (1577). Contemporaneous (1656) is from the same source but with a form after L.L. temporaneous "timely."

contempt --- 1393, from L. contemptus "scorn," pp. of contemnere, from com- intens. prefix + temnere "to slight, scorn," of uncertain origin. Contemptuous is from 1529.

contend --- 1440, from L. contendere "to stretch out, strive after," from com- intensive prefix + tendere "to stretch" (see tenet).

content (v.) --- 1418, from M.Fr. contenter, from content (adj.), c.1400, from L. contentus "contained, satisfied," pp. of continere (see contain). Sense evolved through "contained," "restrained," to "satisfied," as the contented person's desires are bound by what he or she already has.

contention --- 1382, from O.Fr. contention, from L. contentionem, from stem of contendere (see contend).

contents --- 1526, from L. contentum (pl. contenta), neut. pp. of continere (see contain).

contest (v.) --- 1603, from Fr. contester "dispute, oppose," from M.Fr., from L. contestari (litem) "to call to witness, bring action," from com- "together" + testari "to bear witness," from testis "a witness," (see testament). Calling witnesses as the first step in a legal combat. The noun is 1643, from the verb. Contestant "one who contests" is from 1861, popularized in U.S. Civil War.

context --- 1432, from L. contextus "a joining together," orig. pp. of contexere "to weave together," from com- "together" + textere "to weave" (see texture).

contiguous --- 1611, from L. contiguus "bordering upon," from base of contingere "to touch upon" (see contact). Earlier form, now obs., was contiguate (1432).

continent --- 1382, "self-restraining," from L. continentem (nom. continens), prp. of continere "hold together" (see contain). Meaning moved from "exercising self-restraint" to "chaste" 14c., and to bowel and bladder control 19c. Geographical sense is 1559, from continent land (1470), translating L. terra continens "continuous land" (see continue).

contingent --- c.1385, from L. contingentem (nom. contingens) "happening, touching," prp. of contingere "to touch" (see contact). Contingency "uncertain incident" is from c.1626.

continue --- c.1340, from O.Fr. continuer (13c.), from L. continuare "make or be continuous," from continuus "uninterrupted," from continere (intransitive) "to hang together" (see contain). Continual is early 14c., from O.Fr. continuel, from L. continuus. That which is continual is that which is either always going on or recurs at short intervals and never comes to an end; that which is continuous (1642) is that in which there is no break between the beginning and the end.

continuum --- 1650, from L. neut. of continuus. (see continue). The plural is continua.

contort --- 1622, from L. contortus, prp. of contorquere "to whirl, twist," from com- "together" + torquere "to twist" (see thwart). Contortionist first recorded 1859.

contour --- 1662, a term in painting and sculpture, from Fr. contour "circumference, outline," from M.L. contornare "to go around," from L. com- intens. prefix + tornare "to turn in a lathe," from tornus "lathe" (see turn). First recorded application to topography is from 1769.

contra --- 1362, from L. contra (prep. and adv.) "against," originally "in comparison with," ablative singular feminine of *com-teros, from Old L. com "with, together" + -tr, zero degree of the comp. suffix -ter-. The L. word was used as a prefix in L.L.; in Fr. it became contre- and passed into Eng. as counter-. The Nicaraguan Contra "anti-Sandinista" (1981) is short for contrarrevolucionario "counter-revolutionary."

contraband --- 1529, from M.Fr. contrebande "a smuggling," from It. contrabando, from L. contra "against" (see contra) + M.L. bannum, from Frank. *ban "a command" (see ban).

contraception --- birth control, coined 1886 from L. contra + (con)ception. Contraceptive (n.) first recorded 1891.

contract --- c.1315, from L. contractus, pp. of contrahere "to draw together," metaphorically, "to make a bargain," from com- "together" + trahere "to draw" (see tract (1)). Noun came first, then verb and variant meaning "become narrowed, get smaller," especially of a withered limb (both 17c.). U.S. underworld slang sense of "arrangement to kill someone" first recorded 1940. Contractor in the modern sense is from 1724.

contradiction --- c.1382, from L. contradictionem, from contradicere "speak against," from contra "against" + dicere "to speak" (see diction). Contradict first attested 1570s, "speak against;" sense of "assert the contrary" is from 1582.

contrail --- 1945, from con(densation) trail.

contralto --- 1730, from contra- + alto. The part next above the alto.

contraption --- 1825, western England dialect, origin obscure, perhaps from con(trive) + trap, or deception.

contrary --- 1340, from Anglo-Fr. contrarie, from L. contrarius "opposite, opposed," from contra "against" (see contra). If we take the statement All men are mortal, its contrary is Not all men are mortal, its converse is All mortal beings are men, & its opposite is No men are mortal. The contrary, however, does not exclude the opposite, but includes it as its most extreme form. Thus This is white has only one opposite, This is black, but many contraries, as This is not white, This is coloured, This is dirty, This is black; & whether the last form is called the contrary, or more emphatically the opposite, is usually indifferent. But to apply the opposite to a mere contrary (e.g. to I did not hit him in relation to I hit him, which has no opposite), or to the converse (e.g. to He hit me in relation to I hit him, to which it is neither contrary nor opposite), is a looseness that may easily result in misunderstanding; the temptation to go wrong is intelligible when it is remembered that with certain types of sentence (A exceeds B) the converse & the opposite are identical (B exceeds A). [Fowler]

contrast (v.) --- 1695, from Fr. contraster, from It. contrastare "stand out against," from V.L. *contrastare "to withstand," from L. contra "against" (see contra) + stare "to stand," from PIE base *sta- "to stand" (see stet). M.E. had contrest "to fight against, to withstand," which became extinct. Modern word re-introduced c.1700 as an art term.

contravene --- 1567, from M.Fr. contravenir "to transgress, decline, depart," from L. contravenire "to come against," in M.L. "to transgress," from L. contra "against" + venire "to come" (see venue).

contribution --- 1387, from L. contributionem, from contribuere, from com- "together" + tribuere "to allot, pay" (see tribute). Used in Eng. in fig. sense of "crushed in spirit by a sense of sin."

contrite --- c.1300 (contrition), from L. contritus, lit. "worn out, ground to pieces," pp. of L. conterere "to grind," from com- "together" + terere "to rub."

contrive --- c.1325, from O.Fr. controver "to find out, contrive, imagine," from V.L. contropare "to compare" (via a figure of speech), from L. com- "with" + tropus "song, musical mode," from Gk. tropos "figure of speech" (see trope). Sense evolution (in Fr.) was from "invent with ingenuity" to "invent falsely."

control --- c.1310, "to check, verify, regulate," from Anglo-Norm. contreroller "exert authority," from M.L. contrarotulus "a counter, register," from L. contra- "against" (see contra) + rotulus, dim. of rota "wheel" (see roll). From a medieval method of checking accounts by a duplicate register. Sense of "dominate, direct" is c.1450.

controversy --- c.1384, from L. controversia, from controversus "turned in an opposite direction, from contra- "against" (see contra) + versus (see verse). Controvert (1609) is a back-formation.

contumely --- c.1386, from L. contumelia "a reproach, insult," probably from contumax "haughty, stubborn," from com- intensive prefix + tumere "to swell up" (see thigh).

contusion --- c.1400, from M.Fr. contusion, from L. contusionem (nom. contusio) "crushing, bruising," from contusus, pp. of contundere "to beat, break to pieces," from com- intens. prefix + tundere "to beat."

conundrum --- 1596, Oxford University slang for "pedant," also "whim," etc., later (1790) "riddle, puzzle," also spelled quonundrum; the sort of ponderous pseudo-Latin word that was once the height of humor in learned circles.

convalesce --- 1483, from L. convalescere "thrive, convalesce," from com- intensive prefix + valescere "to begin to grow strong," inchoative of valere "to be strong" (see valiant). Only in Caxton and Scottish writers until 19c.

convection --- 1623, from L. convectionem "the act of carrying," from pp. stem of convehere "to carry together," from com- "together" + vehere "to carry" (see vehicle).

convene --- 1429, from M.Fr. convenir, from L. convenire "unite, be suitable, agree," from com- "together" + venire "to come" (see venue).

convenient --- c.1374, from L. convenientem (nom. conveniens), prp. of convenire (see convene).

convent --- c.1290, covent, from Anglo-Norm. covent, from O.Fr. convent, from L. conventus "assembly," used in M.L. for "religious house," originally pp. of convenire "come together" (see convene). Not exclusively feminine until 18c. The form with -n- emerged early 15c. The M.E. form remains in London's Covent Garden district (notorious late 18c. for brothels), so called because it had been the garden of a defunct monastery.

convention --- c.1440, from L. conventionem (nom. conventio), pp. of convenire (see convene). Conventional "following tradition" is from 1831 (from convention in secondary sense of "agreement"); of weapons, meaning "non-nuclear," it is attested from 1955.

converge --- 1691, from L.L. convergere "to incline together" from com- "together" + vergere "to bend" (see verge (v.)).

conversation --- 1340, from O.Fr. conversation, from L. conversationem (nom. conversatio) "act of living with," prp. of conversari "to live with, keep company with," lit. "turn about with," from L. com- intens. prefix + vertare, freq. of vertere (see versus). Originally "having dealings with others," also "manner of conducting oneself in the world;" specific sense of "talk" is 1580. Used as a synonym for "sexual intercourse" from at least 1511, hence criminal conversation, legal term for adultery from late 18c.

converse (adj.) --- exact opposite, 1570, from L. conversus "turn around," pp. of convertere "to turn about" (see convert). Originally mathematical.

converse (v.) --- to communicate (with), 1596; earlier "to move about" (1340), from O.Fr. converser (12c.), from L. conversari (see conversation).

convert (v.) --- c.1300, from O.Fr. convertir, from L. convertere "turn around, transform," from com- "together" + vertere "to turn" (see versus). Originally in the religious sense. The L. word is glossed in O.E. by gecyrren, from cierran "to turn, return." Convertible is from 1385; of cars, 1916, Amer.Eng.

convex --- 1571, from M.Fr. convexe, from L. convexus "vaulted, arched," pp. of convehere "to bring together," from com- "together" + vehere "to bring" (see vehicle). Possibly from the idea of vaults carried together to meet at the point of a roof.

convey --- c.1300, from Anglo-Fr. conveier, from O.Fr. convoier "to escort," from V.L. *conviare "to accompany on the way," from L. com- "together" + via "way, road." It was a euphemism for "steal" 15c.-17c., which helped broaden its meaning.

convict (v.) --- c.1340, from L. convictus, pp. of convincere (see convince). Replaced O.E. v. oferstælan. The noun is first attested c.1475, from the verb; slang shortening con is from 1893. Conviction "firm belief" is 1699.

convince --- 1530, "to overcome in argument," from L. convincere "to overcome decisively," from com- intensive prefix + vincere "to conquer" (see victor). Meaning "to firmly persuade" is from 1606.

convivial --- 1668, from L.L. convivialis, from L. convivium "a feast," from convivere "to carouse together," from com- "together" + vivere "to live."

convocation --- 1387, from L. convocationem, from convocare "to call together," from com- "together" + vocare "to call," from vox "voice" (see voice).