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

concede --- 1632, from L. concedere "give way, yield," from com-, intensive prefix, + cedere "to go, grant, give way" (see cede).

conceit --- c.1374, from conceiven (see conceive). An Eng. formation based on deceit and receipt. Sense evolved from "something formed in the mind," to "fanciful or witty notion" (1513), to "vanity" (1605) through shortening of self-conceit (1588). Conceited "having an overweening opinion of oneself" is from 1597.

conceive --- c.1280, from stem of O.Fr. conceveir, from L. concipere (pp. conceptus) "to take in and hold," from com- intensive prefix + comb. form of capere "to take," from PIE *kap- "to grasp" (see capable). Originally "take (seed) into the womb, become pregnant," sense of "take into the mind" is from c.1340.

concentrate --- 1640, from concenter (1591), from It. concentrare, from L. com- "together" + centrum "center" (see center). Originally "to bring or come to a common center," sense of "mental focus" is after 1860. Concentration camp first used 1901, to describe such camps in second Boer War (1899-1902); it was applied to Nazi Germany as early as 1934.

concentric --- 1391, from O.Fr. concentrique, from M.L. concentricus, from com- "together" + centrum "circle, center" (see center).

concept --- 1556, from M.L. conceptum "draft, abstract," in L. "(a thing) conceived," from pp. of concipere "to take in" (see conceive). In some 16c. cases a refashioning of conceit (perhaps to avoid negative connotations); conception in the womb sense was c.1300.

concern --- c.1450, from M.L. concernere "concern, touch, belong to," figurative use of L.L. concernere "to sift, mix, as in a sieve," from L. com- "with" + cernere "to sift," hence "perceive, comprehend" (see crisis). Apparently the sense of the prefix shifted to intensive in M.L. Meaning of "relate to" is 16c.; "worry" is 17c. To whom it may concern first recorded 1868.

concert (n.) --- 1665, from Fr., from It. concerto "concert, harmony," from concertare "bring into agreement," in L. "to contend, contest," from com- "with" + certare "to contend, strive," freq. of certus, var. pp. of cernere "separate, decide" (see crisis). Before the word entered Eng., meaning shifted from "to strive against" to "to strive alongside." But Klein considers this too much of a stretch and suggests L. concentare "to sing together" (from con- + cantare "to sing") as the source of the It. word. Sense of "public musical performance" is 1689. Concerto was borrowed 1730 directly from It. as a musical term.

concertina --- 1837, from concert + fem. ending -ina. Portable musical instrument invented by Sir Charles Wheatstone, 1829.

concession --- 1464, from L. concessionem (nom. concessio), from concessius, pp. of concedere (see concede). Meaning "right or privilege granted by government" is from 1656. "Refreshment stand" sense is from 1910.

conch --- 1410, from L. concha "shellfish, mollusk," from Gk. konkhe "mussel, shell," from PIE base *konkho-. The name for natives of Florida Keys since at least 1833.

concierge --- 1646, from Fr., probably from V.L. *conservius, from L. conservus "fellow slave," from com- "with" + servius "slave."

conciliate --- 1545, from L. conciliatus, pp. of conciliare "to bring together, unite in feelings, make friendly," from concilium "council" (see council).

concise --- c.1590, from L. concisus "cut off, brief," pp. of concidere "to cut off," from com- intensive prefix + caedere "to cut," from PIE *kae-id- "to strike" (cf. Skt. skhidati "beats, tears," Lith. kaisti "shave").

conclave --- 1393, from It., from L. conclave "a room which may be locked," from com- "together" + clavis "a key" (see slot (2)). Earliest use is "a place where cardinals meet to elect a pope." Extended sense of "private assembly" is first recorded 1568.

conclude --- c.1300, from L. concludere "to shut up, enclose," from com- "together" + -cludere, comb. form of claudere "to shut" (see close (v.)).

concoct --- 1533, from L. concoctus, pp. of concoquere "to boil together, prepare," from com- "together" + coquere "to cook" (see cook (n.)). First expanded metaphorically beyond cooking 1792.

concomitant --- 1607, from Fr. concomitant, from L. concomitantem, prp. of concomitari "accompany, attend," from com- "with, together" + comitari "join as a companion," from comes (gen. comitis) "companion."

concord --- c.1300, from O.Fr. concorde, from L. concordia "agreement, union," from concors (gen. concordis) "of the same mind," lit. "hearts together," from com- "together" + cor "heart" (see heart). Concordance in Bible sense (1387) is from L. concordantiæ, originally a citation of parallel passages.

concordat --- agreement between church and state on a mutual matter, 1616, from Fr. concordat (16c.), from M.L. concordatum, noun use of L. concordatum, neut. pp. of concordare "agree," from concors (gen. concordis) "of one mind" (see concord).

concourse --- 1384, from O.Fr. concours, from L. concursus "a running together," from pp. of concurrere (see concur). Originally "the flowing of a crowd of people;" sense of "open space" is Amer.Eng. 1862.

concrete (adj.) --- 1471, from L. concretus, pp. of concrescere "to grow together," from com- "together" + crescere "to grow" (see crescent). A logicians' term until meaning began to expand 1600s. Noun sense of "building material made from cement, etc." is first recorded 1834.

concubine --- 1297, from L. concubina (fem.), from concumbere "to lie with," from com- "with" + cubare "to lie down." Recognized by law among polygamous peoples as "a secondary wife."

concupiscence --- c.1340, from L. concupiscentia, from concupiscere, inceptive of concupere "to be very desirous of," from com-, intensive prefix, + cupere "to long for." Used in Vulgate to tr. Gk. epithymia.

concur --- 1410, from L. concurrere "to run together," from com- "together" + currere "to run" (see current). Originally "collide, clash in hostility;" sense of "to coincide, happen at the same time" is 1596; that of "to agree in opinion" is 1590.

concussion --- 1490, from L. concussionem (nom. concussio), pp. of concutere "shake violently," from com- "together" + quatere "to shake." Modern sense of "brain injury" is 1541.

condemn --- c.1300, from O.Fr. condemner, from L. condemnare, from com- intensive prefix + damnare "to harm, damage." Replaced O.E. fordeman.

condense --- 1477, from L. condensare "to make dense," from com- intensive prefix + densare "make thick," from densus "dense."

condescend --- 1340, from O.Fr. condescendere, from L.L. condescendere "to let oneself down," from L. com- "together" + descendere "descend." Originally "to yield deferentially;" sense of "to sink willingly to equal terms with inferiors" is from 1611.

condiment --- c.1420, from M.Fr. condiment, from L. condimentum "spice," from condire "to preserve, pickle, season," var. of condere "to put away, store," from com- "together" + dere "to put."

condition --- c.1315, from O.Fr. condition, from L. condicionem (nom. condicio) "agreement, situation," from condicere "to speak with, talk together," from com- "together" + dicere "to speak" (see diction). Evolution of meaning through "stipulation, condition," to "situation, mode of being." The verb meaning "to bring to a desired condition" is from 1850.

condolence --- 1588, from L.L. condolere "to suffer together," from com- "with" + dolere "to grieve."

condom --- 1706, traditionally named for a British physician during reign of Charles II, but there is no evidence for that. Also spelled condam, quondam, which suggests it may be from It. guantone, from guanto "a glove."

condominium --- c.1714, from Mod.L., "joint sovereignty," apparently coined in Ger. c.1700 from com- "together" + dominum "right of ownership" (see domain). A word in politics and international law until sense of "privately owned apartment" arose in Amer.Eng. 1962 as a special use of the legal term. Abbreviated form condo first recorded 1964.

condone --- 1857, from L. condonare "to give up, remit," from com- intensive prefix + donare "to give." Originally a legal term.

condor --- 1604, from Amer.Sp., from Quechua cuntur, the native name for the bird.

conduce --- c.1400, from L. conducere "to lead or bring together, contribute, serve," from com- "together" + ducere "to lead" (see duke).

conduct (v.) --- c.1400, from L. conductus, pp. of conducere "to lead or bring together" (see conduce). Noun sense of "behavior" is first recorded 1673; verb sense of "convey" is from c.1420.

conduit --- c.1300, from O.Fr. conduit, from L. conductus "a leading, a pipe" (see conduct).

cone --- 1562, from L. conus "a wedge, peak, cone," from Gk. konos "cone, spinning top, pine cone," from PIE base *ko(n)- "to sharpen."

Conestoga --- 1699, name of an Indian tribe in southcentral Pennsylvania, probably from some Iroquoian language and sometimes said to mean "people of the cabin pole;" later a place in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, where a characteristic type of covered wagon was built. Conestoga wagon is from 1750 (about three years before the last of the Conestoga Indians were massacred), but it was already an established term as the first reference is to the name of a Philadelphia tavern. Also a breed of horses (1824) and a type of boot and cigar (see stogie).

coney --- c.1200, from Anglo-Norm. conis, pl. of conil "long-eared rabbit" (Lepus cunicula) from L. cuniculus, the small, Sp. variant of the It. hare (L. lepus), the word perhaps from Iberian Celtic (classical writers say it is Spanish). Rabbit arose 14c. to mean the young of the species, but gradually pushed out the older word 19c., after British slang picked up coney as a synonym for "cunt" (cf. connyfogle "to deceive in order to win a woman's sexual favors"). The word was in the King James Bible [Prov. xxx.26, etc.], however, so it couldn't be entirely dropped, and the solution was to change the pronunciation of the original short vowel (rhyming with honey, money) to rhyme with boney. In the O.T., the word translates Heb. shaphan "rock-badger." Rabbits not being native to northern Europe, there was no Gmc. or Celtic word for them. Brooklyn's Coney Island so called for the rabbits once found there and was known to the Du. as Konijn Eiland, from which the Eng. name probably derives.

confab --- 1701, colloquial shortening of confabulation "taking together," from L. confabulari, from con- "together" + fabulari "to chat," from fabula "a tale" (see fable).

confarreation --- 1598, from L. confarreationem, from confarreare "to unite in marriage by the offering of bread," from com- "with, together" + far, farris "spelt, grain, meal." In ancient Rome, the most solemn form of marriage, in which an offering of bread was made in the presence of the Pontifex Maximus and 10 witnesses.

confection --- 1345, from O.Fr. confeccion, from L. confectionem (nom. confectio), n. from confectus, pp. of conficere "to prepare," from com- "with" + facere "to make, do" (see factitious). Originally "the making by means of ingredients," sense of "candy or light pastry" predominated from 16c.

confederate --- c.1370, from O.Fr. confédérer, from L.L. confoederatus, pp. of confoederare "to unite by a league," from foedus (gen. foederis) "a league."

confer --- 1533, from L. conferre "to bring together, compare," from com- "together" + ferre "to bear" (see infer). Sense of "taking counsel" led to conference (1555). The meaning "compare" (common 1530-1650) is largely obsolete, but the abbreviation cf. is still used in this sense.

confess --- c.1378, from O.Fr. confesser, from L. confessus, pp. of confiteri "to acknowledge," from com- "together" + fatus, pp. of fateri "to admit," akin to fari "speak" (see fame). Its original religious sense was of one who avows his religion in spite of persecution but does not suffer martyrdom (cf. Edward the Confessor, canonized 1161).

confetti --- 1815, from It. pl. of confetto "sweetmeat," from L. confectum, pp. of confectus (see confection), a small candy traditionally thrown during carnivals in Italy, custom adopted in England for weddings and other occasions, with symbolic tossing of paper.

confidence --- c.1430, from L. confidentia, from confidentem, prp. of confidere, from com- intens. prefix + fidere "to trust" (see faith). For sense of "swindle" see con (3). Confidant, with spelling to reflect Fr. pronunciation, first attested 1714.

configure --- 1382, from L. configurare "to fashion after a pattern," from con- "together" + figurare "to shape" (see figure).

confine --- c.1400, from L. confinium (pl. confinia) "boundary, limit," from confine, neut. of confinis "bordering on," from com- "with" + finis "an end" (see finish). The noun is older in Eng.; verb sense of "keeping within limits" is from 1595. Confinement is from 1595, as a euphemism for "childbed" it dates from 1774 (the M.E. expression was Our Lady's bands).

confirm --- c.1290, from L. confirmare "make firm, strengthen, establish," from com- intensive prefix + firmare "to strengthen," from firmus (see firm (adj.)).

confiscate --- c.1533, originally, "to appropriate for the treasury," from L. confiscatus pp. of confiscare, from com- "together" + fiscus "public treasury," lit. "money basket."

conflagration --- 1555, from L. conflagrationem (nom. conflagratio), prp. of conflagrare "to burn up," from com- intens. prefix + flagrare "to burn" (see flagrant).

conflate --- 1541, from L. conflat-, pp. stem of conflare "to blow together," also "to melt together," from con- "with" + flare "to blow" (see blow (v.1)).

conflict (v.) --- c.1430, from L. conflictus, pp. of confligere "to strike together," from com- "together" + fligere "to strike" (see afflict).

confluence --- 1432, from L.L. confluentia, from L. confluentem (nom. confluens), prp. of confluere "to flow together," from com- "together" + fluere "to flow."

conform --- c.1340, from O.Fr. conformer "make or be similar" (13c.), from L. conformare "to fashion of the same form," from com- "together" + formare "to form." Sense of "to comply with the usages of the Church of England" is from 1619; hence conformist (1634), opposed to non-conformist or dissenter.

confound --- c.1290, "discomfit, abash, confuse," from Anglo-Fr. confoundre, from O.Fr. confondre, from L. confundere "to confuse," lit. "to pour together," from com- "together" + fundere "to pour" (see found (2)). The fig. sense of "confuse, fail to distinguish, mix up" emerged in L., passed into O.Fr. and thence into M.E., where it is mostly found in Scripture; the sense of "destroy utterly" is recorded in Eng. from c.1300. The L. pp., meanwhile, became confusion (q.v.). Confounded as an execration is first recorded 1652.

confront --- c.1568, "to stand in front of," from M.Fr. confronter, from M.L. confrontare "assign limits, adjoin," from L. com- "together" + frontem (nom. frons) "forehead." Sense of "to face in defiance or hostility" is c.1580. Confrontational first recorded 1975.

Confucius --- 1837, Latinization of Chinese K'ung Fu-tzu "philosopher (or Master) K'ung" (c.551 B.C.E.-c.479 B.C.E.). The name first appears in a L. publication of Chinese works (Paris, 1687). Connection with the martial arts kung-fu is obscure, uncertain. His philosophy based on the Golden Rule: "What you do not like when done to yourself do not do to others."

confusion --- c.1290, "overthrow, ruin," from O.Fr. confusion (11c.), from L. confusionem, noun of action from confundere "to pour together," also "to confuse" (see confound). Sense of "a putting to shame" (a sort of mental "overthrow") is c.1340, while that of "mental perplexity" is from 1596. The history of the word confuse is, in a word, confused. Latin confusus was the pp. of confundere, and thus confused existed in M.E. from c.1330 as the pp. of confound. The L. pp. also became an adj. in O.Fr., meaning "discomfited in mind or feeling," and it passed to M.E. as confus (14c.; e.g. Chaucer: "I am so confus, that I may not seye"), which was then assimilated to Eng. pp. pattern by addition of -ed. From this, a new verb, confuse, was derived c.1550, with the literal sense "mix or mingle things so as to render the elements indistinguishable." In the active, figurative sense of "discomfit in mind or feeling," confuse is only recorded from 1805. This activity could have been expressed before that by native constructions like dumbfound and flabbergast, or by confound.

confute --- 1529, from L. confutare "disprove, restrain, silence," from com- intensive prefix + *futare "to beat," from PIE base *bhau-t, *bhu-t "to strike, beat."

conga --- 1935, Amer.Sp. fem. of (danza) Congo "Congo (dance)," since it was assumed to be of African origin.

congeal --- c.1380, from O.Fr. congeler "freeze, thicken," from L. congelare "to freeze together," from com- "together" + gelare "to freeze," from gelu "frost, ice."

congenial --- c.1625, "kindred, sympathetic," from L. com- "together" + genialis "of birth," thus, "kindred." Sense of "agreeable" is first recorded 1711.

conger --- c.1300, from L. conger "sea-eel," from Gk. gongros "conger," probably from PIE base *geng-, *gong- "a lump, rounded object."

congest --- 1538, "to bring together" (trans.), from L. congestus, pp. of congerere "to bring together, pile up," from com- "together" + gerere "to carry, perform." Medical sense of "unnatural accumulation" (1758) led to transferred (intrans.) sense of "overcrowd" (1859).

conglomerate --- 1572, from L. conglomeratus, pp. of conglomerare "to roll together," from com- "together" + glomerare "to gather into a ball," from glomus (gen. glomeris) "a ball." Noun meaning "large business group" is from 1967.

congratulation --- 1438, from L. congratulationem, from congratulari "wish joy," from com- "together" + gratulari "give thanks, show joy," from gratus "agreeable" (see grace).

congregate --- c.1400, from L. congregatus, pp. of congregare "to herd together," from com- "together" + gregare "to collect into a flock, gather," from grex (gen. gregis) "a flock." Congregation is from c.1340, used by Tyndale to translate Gk. ekklesia in New Testament, and preferred by 16c. Reformers instead of church; hence the word's main modern sense of "local society of believers" (1526), and Congregational, the Protestant sect, from 1639.

congress --- 1528, from L. congressus "a meeting, hostile encounter," pp. of congredi "meet with, fight with," from com- "together" + gradi "to walk," from gradus "a step" (see grade). Sense of "meeting of delegates" is first recorded 1678. Meaning "sexual union" is from 1589. Used in ref. to the national legislative body of the American states since 1775 (though since 1765 in America as a name for proposed bodies).

congruent --- 1432, from L. congruentem (nom. congruens), prp. of congruere "to come together, agree, correspond with," from com- "with" + *gruere, *ruere "fall, rush."

conifer --- 1851, from L. conifer "cone-bearing," from conus "cone" + ferre "to bear" (see infer).

conjecture --- c.1384, from L. conjectura "conclusion, interpretation," from conjectus, pp. of conicere "to throw together," from com- "together" + jacere "to throw." Originally of interpretation of signs and omens; sense of "forming of opinion without proof" is 1535.

conjoin --- c.1374, from O.Fr. conjoindre, from L. conjungere "to join together," from com- "together" + jungere "join" (see jugular).

conjugal --- 1545, from L. conjugalis, from conjunx (gen. conjugis) "spouse," from conjugare "to join together," from com- "together" + jugare "to join," from jugum "yoke" (see jugular).

conjugation --- c.1450, from L. conjugationem, from conjugare "to join together" (see conjugal). Grammatical sense is c.1528.

conjunction --- 1375, from O.Fr. conjunction, from L. conjunctionem (nom. conjunctio), pp. of conjugare (see conjugal). Originally in Eng. of planets; grammatical sense (1388) was in L., a loan-translation of Gk. syndesmos. Had the meaning "sexual union" 17c.-18c.

conjure --- c.1280, from O.Fr. conjurer, from L. conjurare "to swear together, conspire," from com- "together" + jurare "to swear." Magical sense is c.1300, for "constraining by spell" a demon to do one's bidding.

conk --- as in conk out, 1918, coined by World War I airmen, perhaps in imitation of the sound of a stalling motor, reinforced by conk (v.) "hit on the head," originally "punch in the nose" (1821), from conk (n.), slang for "nose" (1812), perhaps from fancied resemblance to a conch shell.

conkers --- child's game played with horse chestnuts, originally with snail shells, 1847, probably a variant of conqueror.

Connecticut --- originally the name of the river, said to be from Mohican (Algonquian) quinnitukqut "at the long tidal river," from *kwen- "long" + *-ehtekw "tidal river" + *-enk "place."

connection --- c.1385, from O.Fr. connexion, from L. connexionem, from connectere "to fasten together," from com- "together" + nectere "to bind, tie" (see nexus).

conniption --- 1833, Amer.Eng., origin uncertain; perhaps related to corruption, which was used in a sense of "anger" from 1799, or from Eng. dialectal canapshus "ill-tempered, captious," probably a corruption of captious.

connive --- 1602, from L. conivere "to wink," from com- "together" + base akin to nictare "to wink," from PIE base *knei-gwh- "to bend." Hence, "to wink at (a crime), be secretly privy."

connoisseur --- 1714, from Fr., from O.Fr. conoisseor "a judge, one well-versed," from conoistre, from L. cognoscere "to know," from com- "with" + gnoscere "recognize" (see notice).

connotation --- 1532, from M.L. connotationem, from connotare "signify in addition to the main meaning," a term in logic, from L. com- "together" + notare "to mark" (see note). A word denotes its primary meaning, its barest adequate definition -- father denotes "one that has begotten." A word connotes the attributes commonly associated with it -- father connotes "male sex, prior existence, greater experience, affection, guidance."

connubial --- 1656, from L. conubialis, from conubium "marriage," from com- "together" + nubere "to wed" (see nubile).

conquer --- c.1200, from O.Fr. conquerre, from V.L. *conquærere (for L. conquirere) "to search for, procure," from L. com- intensive prefix + quærere "to seek, acquire" (see query). Conquistador is 1830, from Sp., lit. "conqueror."

Conrad --- male proper name, from O.H.G. Kuonrat, lit. "bold in counsel," from kuon "bold" + rat "counsel."

consanguinity --- c.1380, from L. consanguinitatem, from consanguineus "consanguineous, of the same blood," from com- "together" + sanguineus "of blood."

conscience --- c.1225, from O.Fr. conscience, from L. conscientia "knowledge within oneself, a moral sense," prp. of conscire "be mutually aware," from com- "with" + scire "to know." Probably a loan-translation of Gk. syneidesis. Sometimes nativized in O.E./M.E. as inwit. Rus. also uses a loan-translation, so-vest, "conscience," lit. "with-knowledge." Conscientious objector first recorded 1916.

conscious --- 1601, from L. conscius "knowing, aware," from conscire (see conscience); probably a loan-translation of Gk. syneidos. A word adopted from the Latin poets and much mocked at first. Sense of "active and awake" is from 1837.

conscription --- 1382, "a putting in writing," from M.Fr. conscription, from L. conscriptionem (nom. conscriptio) "a drawing up of a list, enrollment, a levying of soldiers," from conscribere "to enroll," from com- "with" + scribere "to write" (see script). The sense "compulsory enlistment for military service" (1800) is from the French Republic act of Sept. 5, 1798. Technically, a conscription is the enrollment of a fixed number by lot, with options of providing a substitute. The verb conscript is 1813, popularized during U.S. Civil War (1862).

consecrate --- 1387, from L. consecratus, pp. of consecrare "to make holy, devote," from com- "together" + sacrare (see sacred).