Etymologically

coordination

This is the current revision of this entry, as edited by bogdan on 17 October 2026 at 15:54. This address is a permanent link to this version.

Pronunciation

  • IPA: /kəʊˌɔːdɪˈneɪʃən/ (UK); /koʊˌoɹdɪˈneɪʃən/ (US)[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from French coordination or directly Late Latin coōrdinātiō,[2][3][4] from co- (“with, together”) and ōrdinātiō (“arranging”),[3][5] from ōrdō (“row, rank, order”) (see order).[2][4]

Earliest recorded meaning

Orderly combination: about 1600 in Etymonline;[2] the New Oxford gives the mid-17th century, in the sense of placing in the same rank.[4]

Semantic evolution

The action of setting things in order is from the 1640s.[2] Harmonious adjustment or action, especially of the muscles and bodily movements, is from 1855.[2]

Timeline

  • c. 1600 – orderly combination.[2]
  • 1640s – setting in order.[2]
  • 1855 – harmonious action of muscles.[2]

Modern meaning

Noun

  1. The act of coordinating or organizing parts to work together.
  2. Harmonious working of the muscles in making movements.

Word family

  • coordination compound
  • coordination number
  • coordination complex
  • coordinated
  • uncoordinated
  • coordinator
  • coordinating conjunction
  • coordinate
  • order
  • ordinate
  • ordain

References

  1. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  3. ^ a b Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary (2024), online ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
  4. ^ a b c Pearsall, Judy, ed. (1998), The New Oxford Dictionary of English, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  5. ^ Collins English Dictionary (2023), Glasgow: HarperCollins