Etymologically
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compromitto

Etymology and origin of the Latin word compromitto

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Confidence
Established
Formation
Compound
First attested
Senatus consultum de Bacchanalibus
Ultimate origin
Latin (mittō)

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [kɔm.proːˈmɪt.toː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [kom.proˈmit.to][1]

Forms

comprōmittō (present infinitive comprōmittere, perfect active comprōmīsī, supine comprōmissum); third conjugation[1] The Senatus consultum de Bacchanalibus (186 BC) has the old form conprōmēsise.[2][3]

Etymology

It is from con- “together” and prōmittō “to promise”.[3][1][4]

Earliest recorded meaning

Its earliest record is the Senatus consultum de Bacchanalibus of 186 BC, with the form conprōmēsise.[2][3]

Semantic evolution

It was a legal term: to enter into a mutual agreement to submit a dispute to an arbitrator and abide by the decision.[3][2][5] In Ulpian it meant to agree to pay a sum in submitting to arbitration.[3] Its participle comprōmissum was the agreement itself.[3]

It survives in Italian compromettere and Spanish comprometer.[1] Through Old French compromis its participle gave English compromise in the early 15th century, “a joint promise to abide by an arbiter's decision”.[4]

Timeline

  • 186 BC – The Senatus consultum de Bacchanalibus uses it.[2]
  • before 223 AD – Ulpian uses it of payment in arbitration.[3][6]
  • early 15th century – English compromise is recorded.[4]

Meanings

Verb

  1. (law) To agree to submit to arbitration.[3]
  2. To agree to pay (in arbitration).[3]

Word family

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  4. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  5. ^ Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  6. ^ Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
Cite this entry

“Compromitto.” Etymologically, 16 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/compromitto. Accessed 16 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·