"C" Word Origins

condemnation

Latin

From Old French condempnacioun, from Latin condemnatio, related to condemnare ("to condemn").

condensate

Origin

From condense + -ate (noun-forming suffix). Alternatively, back-formation from condensation.

condensation

Latin

From condense plus -ation, from Latin condensatio.

condense

Latin

From Middle French condenser, from Latin condensare ("to make dense").

condenser

Origin

From condense plus the agent suffix -er.

condescend

Late Latin

From Old French condescendre, from Late Latin condescendere ("to stoop down"), from con- plus descendere ("to descend").

condescendence

Origin

From French condescendance, from condescendre, from Late Latin condescendere (“to let oneself down, stoop, condescend”), from Latin com- (“together”) + descendere (“to come down”). See condescend.

condescension

Origin

From Latin condēscēnsiō.

condiment

Latin

From Latin condimentum "spice, seasoning", from condire "to season, to preserve".

condition

Latin

From Old French condicion, from Latin condicio ("agreement, stipulation").

conditional

French

From French conditionnel, from condition plus -al.

conditioner

Origin

From condition plus the agent suffix -er.

Condo

Origin

Shortening of condominium.

condole

Origin

PIE word *ḱóm Learned borrowing from Ecclesiastical Latin condolēre, the present active infinitive of condoleō (“to feel severe pain, suffer greatly; to suffer with or feel another’s pain, condole”), from Latin con- (prefix denoting a being or bringing together of several things) + doleō (“to suffer physical pain, hurt; to be sorry, grieve for, deplore, lament”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *delh₁- (“to divide, split”)).

condolence

Latin

From condole plus -ence, related to Latin condolere ("to suffer with, sympathize").

condom

Italian

Origin uncertain; possibly from Italian guantone (from guanto, "a glove"), though many theories exist.

condominium

Latin

Borrowed from Latin condominium, formed from con- ("together") and dominium ("ownership, lordship").

Condon

Irish

Anglicized form of Irish Condún.

condone

Latin

A learned borrowing from Latin condonare ("to forgive, remit").

condor

Spanish

From Spanish condor, from Quechua kuntur.

Condos

Greek

Ultimately of Greek origin.

condottiere

Origin

From Italian condottiere, from Latin conductus (“assembled, collected”).

condrey

Origin

Variant of Conroy.

conducive

Latin

From conduce plus -ive, ultimately from Latin conducere ("to lead together, contribute").

conduct

Latin

From Latin conductus ("escorted, brought together"), past participle of conducere ("to bring together, lead").

conduction

Origin

Borrowed from Latin conductio, conductionem (“a bringing together”); equivalent to conduct + -ion.

conductor

Latin

From Middle French conductour, going back to Latin conductor, "one who leads or hires" — from the same root as "conduct."

conduit

Latin

From Old French conduit, from Latin conductus, "led" or "brought together" — the same root as "conduct."

cone

Ancient Greek

From Ancient Greek kônos ("cone, spinning top, pine cone"), via Latin cōnus and Old French cone.

Cones

German

Americanized spelling of German Kuntz.

confab

Origin

Clipping of confabulation, from Middle English confabulacion (“conversation”), from Latin confābulātiōnem, from cōnfābulārī + -tiōnem (suffix forming nouns relating to actions or their results); see further at etymology 2.

confabulate

Origin

First attested in 1623; borrowed from Latin cōnfābulātus, perfect active participle of cōnfābulor, see -ate (verb-forming suffix).

confabulation

Origin

From Middle English confabulacion (“conversation”), from Latin confābulātiōnem, from cōnfābulārī + -tiōnem.

confection

Origin

From Middle English confescioun, borrowed from Old French confeccion (French confection), borrowed from Latin cōnfectiōnem, from cōnfectus, past participle of cōnficiō (“prepare”), from con- (“with”) + faciō (“to make, do”). By surface analysis, confect + -ion. Originally "the making by means of ingredients"; sense of "candy or light pastry" predominant since 1500s.

confectioner

Origin

From confection (verb) + -er.

confectionery

Latin

From confection, ultimately from Latin conficere "to prepare, put together", with the ending -ery denoting a trade or its products.

confederacy

Latin

From Anglo-Norman confederacie, from Latin cōnfoederātiō — a doublet of "confederation."

confederate

Late Latin

From Late Latin cōnfoederātus, "bound together by treaty" — from con- ("together") + foederāre ("to establish a league").

confederation

Latin

From Middle French confédération, from Latin cōnfoederātiō — a doublet of "confederacy."

confer

Latin

From Latin cōnferō, "to bring together" — from con- ("together") + ferō ("to carry"). A doublet of "collate."

conference

Medieval Latin

From Medieval Latin cōnferentia, ultimately from Latin cōnferō, "to bring together" — related to "confer."

confess

Latin

From Old French confesser, from Latin cōnfiteor, "to admit" — from con- + fateor ("to admit").

confession

Latin

From Old French confession, from Latin cōnfessiō, "an admission or acknowledgment."

confessional

Origin

From confession + -al.

confessor

Latin

From Anglo-Norman confessour, from Latin cōnfessor, related to cōnfiteor ("to confess").

confetti

Italian

From Italian confetti, "confections" — originally referring to sugar-coated almonds thrown at Carnival, later replaced by paper.

confidant

French

Borrowed from French confident, "trusted person."

confidante

Origin

From French confidente.