considerable English · revision 6242

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=c. 1449|origins=la considero}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /kənˈsɪdəɹəbl̩/, /kənˈsɪdɹəbl̩/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is Middle English, [[bor|la-med|considerabilis|t=worthy to be considered]],^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024)^(SOED 2002) from [[m|la|considero|alt=considerāre|t=to look at closely]] (see [[consider]]), probably originally to observe the stars, from [[m|la|com-]] and [[m|la|sidus|t=star, constellation]].^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Capable of being considered: about 1449 in the OED, the mid-15th century in Etymonline; the sense is obsolete.^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline)^(SOED 2002)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Worthy of regard or attention, important, is from before 1619, and of persons, of consequence or distinction, from 1641.^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline) Rather large, worthy of notice because of size, is from 1651, the 1650s in Etymonline.^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline) The American use of ''considerable'' as a noun, as in ''considerable of a surveyor'', is from 1685,^(OED 1989) and was noted as northern by Witherspoon, quoted in Pickering's 1816 vocabulary of Americanisms.^(Etymonline) As an adverb, considerably, it is obsolete or dialectal.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1449 – capable of being considered.^(OED 1989)

+ * before 1619 – important.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1651 – fairly large.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1685 – as a noun, in the US.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Large in amount, size or degree; [[substantial]].^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # Worthy of consideration; important or distinguished.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[considerably]]

+ * [[inconsiderable]]

+ * [[unconsiderable]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[consider]]

+ * [[consideration]]

+ * [[sidereal]]

+ * [[desire]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}