"C" Word Origins

cease and desist

English

A legal doublet: cease and desist both came into English from Old French (cesser and desister), from Latin cessare and desistere. Such pairings were common in English legal drafting, where two near-synonyms were set together to close any gap in meaning.

ceasefire

Origin

A compound of cease + fire, formed in military usage as an order to stop shooting.

ceaseless

Origin

From cease + the suffix -less ("without"), so literally "without stopping."

Ceci

Italian

Borrowed from Italian Ceci.

Cecil

Latin

The dish sense likely comes from the given name Cecil, itself from Latin Caecilius, a Roman family name related to "caecus" ("blind").

Cecile

Latin

From French Cécile, from Latin Caecilia.

Cecilia

Latin · 200

From Latin Caecilia, feminine form of the Roman family name Caecilius, possibly from caecus ("blind"); popularized by the third-century martyr Saint Cecilia.

cedar

Ancient Greek

From Middle English cedre, via Old French cedre, from Latin cedrus, from Ancient Greek kedros.

cede

Latin

Borrowed from Middle French ceder, from Latin cedere ("to yield, withdraw") — the same root behind "concede," "precede," and "recede."

Cedric

Welsh

Invented by Walter Scott for Ivanhoe, likely a misreading of Cerdic; possibly connected to the Welsh caredig, "beloved."

cee

Middle English

Inherited from Middle English cee.

ceil

Origin

Uncertain; perhaps related to Latin cēlō (“to hide”).

ceiling

Old French

From Middle English celing, related to an Old French word meaning "to conceal" — originally referring to the wall panelling as much as the overhead surface.

celeb

Origin

A clipped, informal shortening of "celebrity."

celebrant

Origin

From French célébrant, from Latin celebrāns, present participle of celebrō, equivalent to celebrate + -ant.

celebrate

Latin

From Latin celebrāre ("to frequent, honour, or praise"), from celeber ("crowded, famous"). It replaced the native Old English word fæġnian.

celebration

Latin

From Old French celebration, from Latin celebratio — ultimately from celebrare, "to honour or perform frequently."

celebrator

Origin

From celebrate + -or.

celebratory

Origin

From celebrate plus the adjective ending -ory, following the same pattern as "obligatory" or "explanatory."

celebrity

Latin

From Old French celebrite, from Latin celebritas, related to celeber, "crowded" or "renowned."

celeripede

Origin

Borrowed from French céléripède.

celery

Ancient Greek

From French céleri, ultimately from Ancient Greek selinon — the same root as the herb name "parsley" shares in part.

celest

Origin

From Latin caelestis (“heavenly”), probably via French céleste, from caelum (“sky, heavens, Heaven”).

celesta

Origin

Borrowed from French célesta.

Celeste

Latin

From French Céleste, from Latin caelestis ("heavenly").

Celestia

Latin

From Latin caelestis, "heavenly."

celestial

Latin

From Old French celestial, from Latin caelestis, "of the heavens," from caelum, "sky."

celestine

Latin

From Old French celestin, from Latin caelestinus ("heavenly"), from caelum ("sky, heaven").

Celia

Latin

From Latin Caelia, feminine of the Roman family name Caelius, probably from caelum, "heaven."

celibacy

Latin

From Latin caelibatus, "the single state," from caelebs, "unmarried."

celibate

Latin

From Latin caelebs, "unmarried," reshaped in English on the pattern of celibacy.

celibatist

Origin

From celibate + -ist.

Celina

French

Variant of Celine, from French Céline, ultimately from Latin.

Celine

Latin

From French Céline, from Latin Caelīna, derived from the Roman gens name Caelius.

cell

Latin

From Latin cella, "small room or storage chamber" — the same root behind "cellar."

cellar

Latin

From Old French celier, from Latin cellarium, "storeroom," itself from cella.

cellaret

Origin

From cellar + -et.

cellblock

Origin

A compound of cell and block.

cellist

Origin

From cello plus the "-ist" ending used for people who play instruments.

cellmate

Origin

A compound of cell and mate.

cello

Italian

Shortened from violoncello, Italian for "little violone" (an early double bass) — so the name literally means "small big-viola."

cellophane

Origin

A blend of cellulose and diaphane ("transparent"); originally a trademarked product name.

cellular

New Latin

From New Latin cellularis, from cellula, "small cell."

cellulite

French · 1960

Borrowed from French cellulite, formed from cellule ("small cell") plus the medical-sounding suffix "-ite"; first used in the 1960s.

cellulitis

Origin

Learned borrowing from New Latin cellulitis. By surface analysis, cellule + -itis. Doublet of cellulite. First attested in the 1840s.

celluloid

Origin

Originally a trademark of the Celluloid Manufacturing Company; formed from cellulose plus "-oid," meaning "resembling."

Celsius

Swedish · 1701

Named after the Swedish astronomer Anders Celsius (1701 to 1744), who devised an early version of the scale.

celt

Origin

From Latin Celtae (singular Celta) from Ancient Greek Κελτοί (Keltoí). English Celts is from the 17th century. Until the mid 19th century, /sɛlt/ is the only recorded pronunciation. A consciously archaizing pronunciation /kɛlt/ was advocated during Irish and Welsh nationalism beginning in the 1850s.