concert English · revision 4637

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1598|origins=it concertare}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: noun UK /ˈkɒn.sət/, US /ˈkɑːn.sɚt/; verb UK /kənˈsɜːt/, US /kənˈsɝːt/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ The noun is [[bor|fr|concert]] (16th century),^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) from [[it|concerto|t=concert, harmony]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986) and the verb is from French concerter, from Italian concertare “to bring into agreement”,^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986) apparently from Latin [[m|la|concertāre|t=to contend zealously, dispute, debate]],^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024) from com “with” and certāre “to strive”, a frequentative of certus, past participle of cernere “to separate, decide”,^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024) from [[ine-pro|*krey-|alt=*krei-|t=to sieve]].^(Etymonline) The shift from “contend” in Latin to “bring into agreement” in Italian is hard to explain, and Hoad calls the Italian verb of obscure origin.^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986) It is a doublet of [[concerto]].^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The verb, to unite, bring to agreement: 1598 in the OED and Barnhart, the late 16th century in NODE.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1988)^(NODE 1998) The noun, agreement, accord, harmony: 1665 in Barnhart, in Evelyn's Memoirs, the 1660s in Etymonline;^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) Merriam-Webster gives 1571.^(MWU 2024)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ A public musical performance appeared in English in 1689; in French it is attested from 1608, and in Italian from 1623.^(Barnhart 1988) The word was regularly confused with [[consort]] down to the Restoration and often later,^(Barnhart 1988)^(Cresswell 2021) as in Cotgrave's 1611 “a consort of Musicke”.^(Barnhart 1988) ''In concert'', in agreement, is from 1634,^(OED 1989) and ''the Concert of Europe'', the agreement among the great powers, from 1880.^(OED 1989) The verb, to arrange by mutual agreement, is from 1694,^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1988) the 1690s in Etymonline,^(Etymonline) hence ''concerted'' action.^(AHD)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1598 – verb, to unite.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1634 – ''in concert''.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1665 – noun, agreement.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1689 – a musical performance.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1694 – verb, to arrange by agreement.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1880 – ''the Concert of Europe''.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A public performance of music by singers or players.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # Agreement in purpose, feeling or action; [[harmony]].^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # ''in concert'': acting together; also, playing live in public.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # To plan or arrange by mutual [[agreement]].^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[concertmistress]]

+ * [[postconcert]]

+ * [[preconcert]]

+ * [[concertina]]

+ * [[concertgoer]]

+ * [[concertize]]

+ * [[concertmaster]]

+ * [[concert grand]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[concerto]]

+ * [[consort]]

+ * [[concerted]]

+ * [[certain]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}