com-
Forms
com-, con-, co-[1][2] com- before ⟨p⟩, ⟨b⟩, ⟨m⟩; con- before most other consonants;[2][1] col- before ⟨l⟩, cor- before ⟨r⟩; co- before vowels and ⟨h⟩, and cō- usually before ⟨n⟩ and ⟨gn⟩.[2][1]
Etymology
It is inherited from Proto-Italic *kom, inherited from Proto-Indo-European *ḱom (“with”).[2][3] De Vaan takes the prefix and the preposition cum “with” to be one and the same word, the original form being ⟨com⟩.[2][1] The /m/ disappeared before vowels and ⟨h⟩, as at the end of a word, giving ⟨co-⟩, but it stays where the word boundary was no longer felt, as in comes and comedō.[2]
Cognate with Oscan kúm-, Umbrian kum-, Old Irish con- (“with”) and Gaulish com-;[2] Proto-Germanic *ga- probably belongs here too.[2]
Earliest recorded meaning
De Vaan finds it first in Old Latin, as ⟨kom⟩ on the Garigliano Bowl.[2]
Semantic evolution
Following Rosén, de Vaan notes that in the oldest texts the prefix often adds no idea of “together” but makes the verb perfective, “completely”: concēdō beside cēdō, compleō beside pleō.[2] The adverbial sense “together” in new formations is found from the end of the Republic.[2] The OLD distinguishes being or acting together, partnership, enclosure, intensity and completeness.[1]
Meanings
Prefix
- together, at the same place or time: conveniō, collēga, comminus.[1][3]
- Jointly, in common: colloquor, convīva, concors.[1][3]
- With (a partner): commercium.[1]
- Enclosing, containing: concipiō, contineō.[1]
- (intensive) Strongly, intently: contueor, cōnstō.[1][3]
- Completely, thoroughly: compleō, cōnficiō, commūtō.[1][3][2]
Word family
Related words
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
- ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org