coordinate English · revision 39485

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=1641, R. Greville, Discourse of the Nature of Episcopacie|origins=la ōrdō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * UK: /kəʊˈɔː.dɪ.nɪt/, /ˈkwɔː.dɪ.nɪt/^(Wiktionary)

+ * US: /koʊˈɔɹ.də.nɪt/, /ˈkɔɹ.də.nɪt/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ The adjective was formed in the 17th century [[af|en|co-|ordinate]], as a counterpart to the older [[subordinate]].^(Barnhart 1988)^(SOED 2002)^(ODE 2010) The OED analyses it as Latin ''co-'' with [[la|ōrdinātus|t=ordered, arranged]], the past participle of [[m|la|ōrdinō|t=to set in order]],^(OED 2026)^(Hoad 1986) which comes from [[m|la|ōrdō|t=row, rank, order]].^(Etymonline)^(Cresswell 2021) Etymonline and Weekley derive it instead from [[la-med|coōrdinō|t=to arrange together]],^(Etymonline)^(Weekley 1921) but the OED, while noting that verb, judges that the English word was probably formed independently.^(OED 2026) The verb (1665) was made from the adjective or on the same pattern, after ''subordinate''.^(Barnhart 1988)^(SOED 2002) Barnhart and Merriam-Webster also consider a back-formation from the earlier noun [[coordination]] (1605).^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024)^(SOED 2002)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Of the same order; equal in rank, degree or importance, the opposite of subordinate: 1641, in Robert Greville's ''Discourse of the Nature of Episcopacie''.^(OED 2026)^(MWU 2024)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The first senses, for adjective and verb alike, were about rank: things ''coordinate'' stood on the same level, and to ''coordinate'' them was to class them together.^(Cresswell 2021)^(ODE 2010)^(OED 2026) Johnson (1755) still defined the adjective only as holding the same rank, not subordinate.^(Johnson 1755) The idea of acting together appears in the adjective in 1769, in William Robertson's history of Charles V, and in the verb only in the 19th century: to arrange parts in their proper relation to one another (1837, in Whewell) and, intransitively, to work together towards a result (1863).^(OED 2026)^(Etymonline) The mathematical noun, one of the magnitudes that fix the position of a point, is recorded from 1823 and refers especially to the system of Descartes;^(OED 2026)^(Etymonline) Merriam-Webster dates it to 1806.^(MWU 2024) By 1960 ''coordinates'' were used of positions on the earth's surface, and since 1959 the plural has also named matching sets of women's clothes.^(Etymonline)^(OED 2026) Chemistry gave the verb (1923) and the adjective (''coordinate bond'', 1927) further technical senses.^(OED 2026)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1605 – the noun ''coordination'', in Francis Bacon.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1641 – adjective, of equal rank.^(OED 2026)^(MWU 2024)^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1665 – verb, to place in the same rank or class.^(OED 2026)^(MWU 2024)

+ * 1769 – adjective, involving coordination.^(OED 2026)^(Etymonline)

+ * 1823 – noun, in mathematics, a magnitude fixing the position of a point.^(OED 2026)^(Etymonline) Merriam-Webster dates it to 1806.^(OED 2026)^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024)

+ * 1837 – verb, to bring parts into proper relation with one another.^(OED 2026)

+ * a1850 – noun, a person or thing of equal rank.^(OED 2026)

+ * 1863 – verb, intransitive, to work together.^(OED 2026)^(Etymonline)

+ * 1927 – ''coordinate bond'' in chemistry.^(OED 2026)

+ * 1959 – ''coordinates'', matching items of women's clothing.^(OED 2026)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To [[organize]] different people, groups or activities so that they work together effectively: ''She coordinated the relief effort across three districts.''^(Collins 2023)^(MWU 2024)

+ # To work or act together in a harmonious way.^(Collins 2023)^(OED 2026)

+ # To match or go well together, as of colours or items of clothing.^(Collins 2023)^(Dictionary.com 2016)

+ # To place in the same order, class or rank.^(Collins 2023)^(OED 2026)

+ # (chemistry) To form a coordinate bond with an atom or group.^(Collins 2023)^(OED 2026)

+

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Equal in rank, quality or importance; not [[subordinate]].^(MWU 2024)^(OED 2026)

+ # (grammar) Of clauses: of equal rank in a compound sentence, joined by a coordinating [[conjunction]].^(MWU 2024)^(SOED 2002)

+ # Involving coordination; made up of parts properly combined.^(OED 2026)

+ # (chemistry) Of a [[covalent]] bond: formed when one atom supplies both of the shared electrons.^(SOED 2002)^(OED 2026)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # (mathematics) Any of a set of numbers that fix the position of a point on a line, in a plane or in space.^(Collins 2023)^(MWU 2024)

+ # ''coordinates'': the position of a place given by [[latitude]] and [[longitude]] or a similar system.^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024)

+ # A person or thing of the same rank as another.^(MWU 2024)^(OED 2026)

+ # ''coordinates'': matching garments designed to be worn together.^(OED 2026)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[coordinately]]

+ * [[coordinative]]

+ * [[coordinator]]

+ * [[coordinateness]]

+ * [[incoordinate]]

+ * [[miscoordinate]]

+ * [[coordination]]

+ * [[coordinate system]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[order]]

+ * [[ordinate]]

+ * [[subordinate]]

+ * [[inordinate]]

+ * [[ordain]]

+ * [[ordinary]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}