union English · revision 3380

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1410|origins=la ūnus}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: UK /ˈjuː.njən/, /-ni.ən/, US /ˈjuː.njən/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|unioun]], [[bor|xno|unioun]] and Old French union,^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) from [[la-lat|ūniō|t=oneness, unity, a uniting]],^(Etymonline)^(AHD 2000)^(Barnhart 1988) which in classical Latin meant “a single large pearl” or “an onion”,^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) from [[la|ūnus|t=one]],^(Etymonline)^(AHD 2000)^(Klein 1966) from [[ine-pro|*óynos|alt=*oi-no-|t=one, unique]].^(Etymonline)^(AHD 2000)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The action of uniting, or the state of being united: 1410,^(Barnhart 1988) or the early 15th century, when it also meant “agreement, accord” and “matrimony”.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The union of a nation's parties or sections is from about 1460,^(OED 1989) and the uniting of countries into one political body from the 1540s.^(Etymonline) A group or confederation of people or states is from the 1650s^(Etymonline) or 1660.^(Barnhart 1988) The political sense “the United States, the union of states” is from 1775,^(Etymonline) and during the American Civil War it named the states that remained after the Southern secession.^(Etymonline)^(AHD) ''Union Jack'', the flag of the United Kingdom, is from 1674.^(Barnhart 1988) As short for ''trade union'' it is by 1833,^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) and the verb ''unionize'' from 1841.^(Barnhart 1988) In mathematics a union is the set of all elements belonging to any of several sets.^(AHD)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1410 – a uniting.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * c. 1460 – union of a nation's parties.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1540s – political union.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1650s – a confederation.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1674 – ''Union Jack''.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1775 – the United States.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1833 – a trade union.^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1841 – ''unionize''.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # The act of uniting, or the state of being united.^(AHD)^(SOED 2002)

+ # A combination formed by uniting, such as an [[alliance]] or confederation.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+ # A [[trade union]] or labour union.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+ # A marriage.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+ # ''(mathematics)'' The set of elements belonging to at least one of two or more sets.^(AHD)

+ # The United States, especially during the Civil War.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Relating to a labour union.^(AHD)

+ # Relating to or loyal to the United States in the Civil War.^(AHD)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[antiunion]]

+ * [[interunion]]

+ * [[preunion]]

+ * [[prounion]]

+ * [[unionisation]]

+ * [[unionism]]

+ * [[unionist]]

+ * [[unionization]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[reunion]]

+ * [[reunification]]

+ * [[unify]]

+ * [[unity]]

+ * [[unite]]

+ * [[unique]]

+ * [[one]]

+ * [[onion]]

+ * [[unionize]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Trench notes Pliny's report that ''unio'' was given to a pearl in which all the best qualities met and were, so to speak, united, and English ''union'' kept this sense, “a large pearl of great value”, from 1592.^(Trench 1859)^(OED 1989)^(SOED 2002) Latin ūniō “onion” is the source of [[onion]].^(SOED 2002)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}