consideration

Pronunciation

• IPA: /kənˌsɪd.əˈɹeɪ.ʃən/^[1]

Etymology

It is Middle English consideracioun, borrowed from Old French consideracion and directly consideratio (“consideration, contemplation”),^[2][3][4] a noun of action from considerāre (“to look at closely, examine”) (see consider).^[2][5]

Earliest recorded meaning

A beholding or looking at, and contemplation or reflection: the mid-14th century in Etymonline;^[2] the OED has the act of looking at from about 1386 and attentive thought from 1388.^[6]

Semantic evolution

Taking into account is from the late 14th century,^[2] 1548 in the OED.^[6] Thoughtful or sympathetic regard for others is from about 1400,^[2] and something that is or should be considered, a factor, from the late 15th century.^[2] The sense of payment or recompense, as in for a small consideration, is from about 1600,^[2] and in law consideration is what one party gives in return for the other's promise, which makes a contract binding.^[7][8] In consideration of is from 1540, and take into consideration from 1652.^[6] In Northumberland and Durham coal mining, a consideration was compensation paid to hewers for unforeseen difficulties.^[9]

Timeline

• mid-14th century – a looking at; reflection.^[2]
• late 14th century – a taking into account.^[2]
• c. 1400 – regard for others.^[2]
• late 15th century – a factor to consider.^[2]
• c. 1600 – payment, recompense.^[2]
• 1652 – take into consideration.^[6]

Modern meaning

Noun

1. Careful thought; deliberation.
2. A factor taken into account in making a decision.
3. Thoughtful concern for others; kindness.
4. A payment or reward.
5. (law) Something given in return for a promise, which makes a contract binding.

Word family

• nonconsideration
• overconsideration
• preconsideration
• subconsideration
• valuable consideration

Related words

• consider
• considerable
• considerate
• considered
• inconsiderate

References

1. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
3. ^ Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary (2024), online ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
4. ^ Shorter Oxford English Dictionary on Historical Principles (2002), 5th ed., ed. William R. Trumble and Angus Stevenson, Oxford: Oxford University Press
5. ^ Pearsall, Judy, ed. (1998), The New Oxford Dictionary of English, Oxford: Clarendon Press
6. ^ a b c d Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press
7. ^ The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (1992), 3rd ed., Boston: Houghton Mifflin
8. ^ Collins English Dictionary (2023), Glasgow: HarperCollins
9. ^ Wright, Joseph, ed. (1898–1905), The English Dialect Dictionary, 6 vols., Oxford: Henry Frowde; via EDD Online 4.0, University of Innsbruck (CC BY 4.0)