cool English · revision 2567

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=c. 725 (Beowulf)|origins=ine-pro *gel-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /kuːl/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|cole]], [[inh|ang|cōl|t=moderately cold]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) from [[gem-pro|*kōluz]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986) from the base of [[cold]].^(Hoad 1986)^(SOED 2002)^(COED 2004) Its cognates include [[dum|coel]], [[nl|koel]], [[goh|kuoli]] and [[de|kühl]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate) and Old Norse [[m|non|kala|t=to be cold]].^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) Watkins traces it to [[ine-pro|*gel-|t=cold; to freeze]].^(Etymonline)^(AHD 2000) The verb is from Old English [[m|ang|cōlian|t=to lose warmth]].^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Moderately cold: Old English ''cōl'', about 725, in ''Beowulf'',^(Barnhart 1988) and also figuratively, of persons, “unperturbed, not heated by passion”.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The figurative sense “showing coldness, apathy or dislike” is from the early 14th century.^(Etymonline) The noun, “a cool place or time”, as in ''the cool of the evening'', is from the 15th century.^(OED 1989)^(SOED 2002) ''To cool one's heels'', “to wait”, is from the 1630s.^(Etymonline) Since 1728 ''cool'' has been applied to large sums of money for emphasis, as in ''a cool million'', and “calmly audacious” is from 1825.^(Etymonline) Word Origins notes that black Americans used ''cool'' for “excellent, stylish” as early as the 1880s;^(Cresswell 2021) Etymonline dates the slang “fashionable” by 1933, originally African-American, and its spread as a general term of approval from the late 1940s, through jazz and especially bop.^(Etymonline)^(Dalzell 2013) ''Keep'' or ''lose one's cool'', “composure”, is from 1966,^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) and the verb ''cool it'' and “to kill” are American slang.^(OED 1989)^(Dalzell 2013)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 725 – Old English ''cōl'' (''Beowulf'').^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * early 14th century – unfriendly.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1630s – ''cool one's heels''.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1728 – ''a cool'' sum.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1825 – calmly audacious.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1933 – fashionable.^(Etymonline)

+ * late 1940s – general approval, from jazz.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1966 – noun, composure.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Moderately cold; giving relief from heat.^(AHD)^(SOED 2002)

+ # Calm and self-controlled.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+ # Indifferent or unfriendly.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+ # Of colours such as blue and green, suggesting coolness.^(AHD)

+ # ''(slang)'' Excellent; fashionable.^(AHD)^(Dalzell 2013)

+ # Of a sum of money, used for emphasis: ''a cool million''.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # To make or become less warm.^(AHD)^(OED 1989)

+ # To make or become calmer or less ardent.^(AHD)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # A cool place or time: ''the cool of the evening''.^(AHD)^(SOED 2002)

+ # ''(slang)'' Composure: ''keep one's cool''.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[coolish]]

+ * [[coolly]]

+ * [[coolness]]

+ * [[coolingly]]

+ * [[coolheaded]]

+ * [[overcool]]

+ * [[supercool]]

+ * [[ultracool]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[cold]]

+ * [[chill]]

+ * [[congeal]]

+ * [[jelly]]

+ * [[gelid]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ The American Heritage Dictionary compares ''cool'' with ''composed'', ''collected'', ''unruffled'', ''nonchalant'' and ''imperturbable'': ''cool'' usually suggests just a lack of excitement, but may also mean aloofness.^(AHD)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}