document English · revision 4818

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=c. 1425|origins=la documentum}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: UK /ˈdɒk.jə.mənt/, US /ˈdɑː.kjə.mənt/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|document]], [[bor|fro|document|t=lesson, written evidence]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) and directly from [[la|documentum|t=example, proof, lesson]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) in Medieval Latin “official written instrument”,^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024) from docēre “to show, teach”^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) and the suffix [[-ment]].^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024) Docēre is the causative of decēre “to be fitting”, from [[ine-pro|*dek-|t=to take, accept]].^(Etymonline) It is related to [[doctor]], [[doctrine]] and [[docile]].^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Teaching, instruction, or a doctrine: the early 15th century in Etymonline and before 1425 in Barnhart,^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) about 1450 in the OED, a sense now obsolete.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It then meant a lesson or warning (1549) and evidence or proof (1459).^(OED 1989) Trench notes that it was once used of moral proof or instruction, as when Raleigh wrote of people stoned to death “as a document unto others”.^(Trench 1859) The modern sense, something written that gives information or evidence, is from 1727, or the early 18th century in Etymonline,^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) which led to “any paper bearing writing”.^(Etymonline) The verb first meant to teach (1648),^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1988) and “to prove with documents” is from 1711, before the noun's modern sense was common.^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989) A computer file of text is a later use recorded by Collins and MWU.^(Collins 2023)^(MWU 2024)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1425 – teaching, instruction.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1459 – evidence, proof.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1648 – verb, to teach.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1711 – verb, to prove with documents.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1727 – a written paper giving evidence.^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989)

+ * 1754 – ''documentation''.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A piece of [[paper]] with written or printed information, especially an official one.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # A [[computer]] file containing text.^(Collins 2023)^(MWU 2024)

+ # Anything, such as a photograph or recording, that gives [[evidence]].^(AHD)^(MWU 2024)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # To record something in writing, film or photographs.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # To support a claim with evidence or [[reference]]s.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[documental]]

+ * [[documenter]]

+ * [[documentable]]

+ * [[documentarian]]

+ * [[documentary]]

+ * [[nondocumented]]

+ * [[undocumented]]

+ * [[redocument]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[docent]]

+ * [[docile]]

+ * [[doctor]]

+ * [[doctorate]]

+ * [[doctrinaire]]

+ * [[doctrinal]]

+ * [[doctrine]]

+ * [[indoctrinate]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}