conspiracy English · revision 6234

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=mid-14th century|origins=la spiro}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /kənˈspɪɹəsi/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is Middle English conspiracie, [[bor|xno|conspiracie]], an alteration of [[m|fro|conspiration]],^(NODE 1998)^(SOED 2002)^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024) from [[la|conspīrātio|t=agreement, union, plot]], from [[m|la|conspīro|alt=conspīrāre|t=to agree, unite, plot]], literally to breathe together, from [[m|la|com-|t=together]] and [[m|la|spīro|alt=spīrāre|t=to breathe]] (see [[conspire]]).^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ A plotting of evil, a combination of people for an unlawful purpose: the mid-14th century in Etymonline,^(Etymonline) about 1386 in the OED.^(OED 1989) Earlier English had conspiration (early 14th century), and Old English had facengecwis.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ A band of conspirators is from 1555.^(OED 1989) Figuratively, a union of persons or things working to one end, as in ''a conspiracy of circumstances'', is from 1538.^(OED 1989) In law, conspiracy is an agreement to commit a crime (1863).^(OED 1989)^(AHD) ''Conspiracy theory'', the belief that a hidden group is behind some event, is from 1909 in the OED;^(OED 1989) Etymonline traces general use for theories of secret cabals to 1871 and the pejorative sense to the mid-20th century.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * mid-14th century – a plot.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1538 – a combination to one end.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1555 – a band of conspirators.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1863 – in law.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1909 – conspiracy theory.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A secret [[plan]] by a group to do something unlawful or harmful; a [[plot]].^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # The act of planning such a plot.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # ''(law)'' An agreement between two or more people to commit a crime.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # A combination of events seeming to work together: ''a conspiracy of silence''.^(AHD)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[conspirative]]

+ * [[conspiratorially]]

+ * [[conspiracist]]

+ * [[preconspiracy]]

+ * [[conspiracy of silence]]

+ * [[conspiracy theory]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[co-conspirator]]

+ * [[conspirator]]

+ * [[conspiratorial]]

+ * [[conspiratorialist]]

+ * [[conspiration]]

+ * [[conspire]]

+ * [[spirit]]

+ * [[inspire]]

+ * [[respire]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ The AHD distinguishes ''conspiracy'', a plan by a group usually aimed at treason or subversion, from [[plot]], [[machination]], [[collusion]], [[intrigue]] and [[cabal]].^(AHD)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}