"C" Word Origins

consignor

Latin

From consign plus the agent suffix -or; consign comes through French from Latin consignare 'to mark with a sign, to seal', from con- 'together' and signum 'a sign'.

consist

Latin

From Latin consistere, "to stand together, remain firm" — com- ("together") plus sistere ("to stand").

consistence

Origin

From Middle French. Compare French consistance. By surface analysis, consist + -ence.

consistency

Origin

Formed from consistent plus -cy.

consistent

Latin

Borrowed from Latin consistentem, present participle of consistere, "to stand firm together."

consociate

Origin

From Latin cōnsociātus, past participle of cōnsociō (“to associate, unite”).

consolation

Latin

From Old French consolacion, from Latin consolatio, built on consolari, "to comfort" — con- plus solari, "to soothe."

console

Latin

From French consoler, from Latin consolari, "to comfort" — ultimately from a root meaning "solace."

consolidate

Latin

From Latin consolidare, built on solidus, "solid" — literally "to make solid."

consolidation

Origin

From Latin cōnsolidātiō, cōnsolidātiōnem, from cōnsolidō.

consolidator

Origin

From consolidate + -or.

consonance

Origin

From Middle English consonance, from Middle French consonance, from Latin cōnsonantia. Doublet of consonancy. By surface analysis, con- + son- + -ance.

consonant

Origin

From Middle English consonant or consonaunt, from Old French consonant, from Latin cōnsonāns (“sounding with”), from the prefix con- (“with”) + the present participle sonāns (“sounding”), from sonāre (“to sound”). The Latin is a calque of Ancient Greek σύμφωνον (súmphōnon).

consort

Latin

From Middle French, ultimately from Latin consors, "partner, one who shares a common lot."

consortium

Latin

Borrowed directly from Latin consortium, from consors, "partner."

conspicuous

Latin

From Latin conspicuus, "visible, striking," from conspicere, "to catch sight of" — con- plus specere, "to look at."

conspiracy

Latin

From Anglo-Norman conspiracie, from Latin conspiratio, formed from conspire plus -acy.

conspiration

Origin

From Middle English conspiracioun, from Middle French conspiration, from Latin cōnspīrātiō, cōnspīrātiōnem. Doublet of conspiracy.

conspirator

Anglo-Norman

From Anglo-Norman conspiratour, related to conspire.

conspire

Latin

From Old French conspirer, from Latin conspirare — con- ("together") plus spirare ("to breathe"), suggesting people "breathing as one."

constable

Latin

From Old French conestable, from Latin comes stabuli, literally "officer of the stables" — a title that gradually rose from stable-master to senior military and civic office.

constabulary

Medieval Latin

From medieval Latin conestabularia, going back to comes stabuli, literally "keeper of the stables" — the same root that gives us "constable."

constance

Origin

Derived from Latin Cōnstantia. Doublet of Constantia.

constancy

Latin

From Latin constantia, "standing firm" — the same root as "constant."

constant

Latin

From Old French constant, from Latin constans, "standing firm," from constare, "to stand together, be consistent."

Constantin

Latin

From Latin Cōnstantīnus, the name of Roman emperors, Latin cōnstāns (“constant, steadfast”). Doublet of Konstadinos.

Constantine

Latin

From Latin constans, meaning "steadfast" or "constant."

Constantinople

Origin · 330

Named after Roman Emperor Constantine the Great, who refounded the city in 330 AD.

constantly

Origin

From constant + the adverb-forming suffix -ly.

constellate

Origin

From Latin constēllātus (“starred”), past participle of constēllō. Equivalent to Latin constēllō + -ate (verb-forming suffix).

constellation

Latin

From Latin constellatio, "a grouping of stars," from con- ("together") + stella ("star").

consternation

Origin

From French consternation, from Latin consternātiō. By surface analysis, consternate + -ion.

constipate

Origin

The adjective is first attested circa 1425, in Middle English, the verb in 1541; inherited from Middle English constipat(e) (“constipated”), borrowed Medieval Latin cōnstīpātus (“constipated”) (or through its Old French equivalent constipé), perfect passive participle of Medieval Latin cōnstīpō (“to cause constipation, to constipate”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix) and -ate (adjective-forming suffix)), from Classical Latin cōnstīpō (“to crowd or press tightly together”) (whence obsoleted sense 2 and 3), itself from con- + stīpō (“to press, cram”). Cognate with Middle English constipen (“to constipate”) and doublet of costive; related to stiff.

constipation

Medieval Latin

From Medieval Latin constipatio, from constipare, "to press together, crowd" — the same idea as things getting packed too tightly.

constituency

Origin

From constituent + the noun-forming suffix -ency.

constituent

Latin

From Latin constituens, "establishing," present participle of constituere.

constitute

Latin

From Latin constituere, "to set up, establish," from con- ("together") + statuere ("to set up").

constitution

Latin

From Old French constitucion, from Latin constitutio, "arrangement, order," from constituere ("to establish").

constitutional

Origin

From constitution + the adjective-forming suffix -al.

constraint

Latin

From Old French constreinte, past participle of constreindre, "to constrain," from Latin constringere, "to bind tightly together."

construct

Latin

From Latin construere, "to heap together," from com- ("together") + struere ("to pile up"). A close cousin of "construe."

construction

Latin

From Latin constructio, from construere ("to build"). Equivalent to construct + -ion.

constructional

Origin

From construction + -al.

constructive

Latin

From Latin constructivus, from construere ("to build"). By surface analysis, construct + -ive.

construe

Origin

From Middle English construen, from Late Latin construo, construere (“to relate grammatically”), from Latin construo (“pile together”); doublet of construct.

Consuela

Spanish

From Spanish Consuela, a variant of Consuelo.

Consuelo

Spanish

From Spanish consuelo, meaning "consolation" or "comfort."

consul

Latin

From Latin consul, the title of the Roman Republic's highest elected officials.