"C" Word Origins

connive

Origin

From French conniver (“to ignore and thus become complicit in wrongdoing”), or directly from its etymon Latin con(n)īvēre (“close or screw up the eyes, blink, wink; overlook, turn a blind eye, connive”) (perhaps alluding to two persons involved in a scheme together winking to each other), from con- (prefix indicating a being or bringing together of several objects) + *nīvēre (related to nictō (“to blink, wink”), from Proto-Indo-European *kneygʷʰ- (“to bend, droop”)).

conniving

Latin

From "connive," meaning to secretly cooperate in wrongdoing, ultimately from Latin "connivere," "to close the eyes to."

connoisseur

French · 1710

Borrowed around 1710 from French "connoisseur," an old spelling of "connaisseur," from "connaître," meaning "to know."

Connolly

Irish

Anglicization of Irish Ó Conghalaigh and Ó Conghaile, patronyms of Conghalach. Doublet of Conley

Connor

Irish

The first name is from Irish Conchúr, Conchobhar, from Old Irish Conchobar (“lover of hounds”). The surname is from Irish Ó Conchúir (“descendant of Conchúr”).

connotation

Latin

From medieval Latin connotatio, from connotare "to mark in addition", from con- "together with" and notare "to note".

connote

Origin

From Medieval Latin connotō (“signify beyond literal meaning”), from com- (“together”), + notō (“mark”).

connubial

Origin

1650s, from Latin connūbiālis, from connūbium (“marriage, wedlock”) (variants of cōnūbiālis (“pertaining to wedlock”), from cōnūbium (“marriage, wedlock”)) from com- (“together”) (English com-) + nūbō (“marry, to take as husband”) (from which nubile) from Proto-Indo-European *snewbʰ- (“to marry, to wed”).

conny

Origin

Related to canny and cunning — all trace back to the same root meaning "knowing" or "skilled."

Conor

Irish

From Irish Conchúr, from Old Irish Conchobar (“lover of hounds”).

conquer

Late Latin

From Old French "conquerre," from Late Latin "conquaerere," meaning "to seek out, procure" — from "con-" plus "quaerere," "to seek."

conquering

Origin

From "conquer" + the suffix "-ing."

conqueror

Old French

From Old French "conquereor," ultimately from "conquerre," the source of "conquer."

conquest

Latin

From Old French "conqueste," ultimately from Latin "conquirere," meaning "to search out or gain," built from "con-" and "quaerere," "to seek."

conquistador

Spanish

Borrowed directly from Spanish "conquistador," meaning "conqueror."

Conrad

German

From Old High German kuoni ("bold") and rad ("counsel").

Conroy

Irish

Anglicized form of Irish Ó Conraoi (“descendant of Cú Raoi”). It is also an Anglicized form of Irish Ó Conaire (“descendant of Conaire”).

cons

Origin

Clipping of construct.

conscience

Latin

From Old French "conscience," from Latin "conscientia," meaning "knowledge within oneself," from "com-" ("together") and "scire" ("to know").

conscientious

Middle French

From Middle French "conscientieux," ultimately related to "conscience" — the sense of being guided by a strong moral sense of duty.

conscious

Latin

From Latin "conscius," meaning "aware, aware of guilt," from "con-" ("together") and "scire" ("to know").

consciously

Origin

From "conscious" + the adverb-forming suffix "-ly."

consciousness

Origin

From "conscious" + the noun-forming suffix "-ness."

conscript

Origin

From Latin cōnscriptus, perfect passive participle of cōnscrībō (“write together; enroll”).

conscription

Latin

From Middle French "conscription," from Latin "conscriptio," meaning "the levying of troops."

consecrate

Latin

From Latin consecrare, "to make completely sacred" — con- ("thoroughly") plus sacrare ("to hallow"), the same root as "sacred."

consecrated

Latin

From Latin consecrare "to make sacred", from con- (intensive) and sacrare "to dedicate", from sacer "sacred".

consecution

Origin

From Middle English consecucioun (“attainment”), from Latin cōnsecūtiō (“effect, proper sequence, attainment”), from past participle of cōnsequor (“to follow, result, reach”).

consecutive

Medieval Latin

From French consécutif, from Medieval Latin consecutivus, ultimately from Latin consequor, "to follow closely."

consensual

Origin

Built from consensus plus the adjective-forming suffix -ual.

consensus

Latin

From Latin consensus, "agreement," from consentire, "to feel together" — the same root as consent.

consent

Latin

From Old French consentir, from Latin consentire, "to agree" — com- ("with") plus sentire ("to feel").

consequence

Latin

From Old French consequence, from Latin consequentia, ultimately from consequi, "to follow along with."

consequent

Origin

Borrowed from Middle French conséquent, from Latin consequens, consequentem, present participle of consequi (“to follow”), from con- + sequi (“to follow”). Compare French conséquent.

consequential

Origin

From consequent + -ial.

consequently

Middle English

From Middle English consequently, formed from consequent plus the adverb suffix -ly.

conservation

Old French

From Old French, built on conserve plus -ation.

conservatism

Origin

Either irregularly from conservative + -ism or from conservate + -ism; ultimately from Latin cōnservāre (“to conserve; to keep, guard, observe”).

conservative

Latin

From Middle French conservatif, from Latin conservare, "to preserve" — built from conserve plus -ative.

conservator

Origin

From Middle English conservatour, from Anglo-Norman conservatour, from Latin cōnservātor (“one who conserves”), agent noun from cōnservō (“to preserve”).

conservatory

Latin

From conserve plus -atory, following the pattern of Latin-derived English words describing a place for preserving or cultivating something.

conserve

Latin

From Old French conserver, from Latin conservare, "to keep, preserve" — com- (intensive) plus servare ("to keep watch over").

consider

Latin

From Middle French considerer, from Latin considerare, originally thought to relate to observing the stars (sidus, "star") before making a decision.

considerable

Origin

From consider plus -able, "able to be considered," which shifted over time to mean "significant."

consideration

Latin

From Old French consideracion, from Latin consideratio, built on considerare, "to examine carefully."

consign

Origin

Borrowed from Middle French consigner or directly from Latin cōnsignō (“furnish with a seal”), from con- + signō (“mark, sign”).

consignee

Latin

From consign, from Latin consignare "to mark with a seal", with the suffix -ee marking the person on the receiving end of the action.

consignment

Origin

From consign plus -ment.