Online Etymology Dictionary

consistence (n.): c.1600, "state of standing still; firmness," from Middle French consistence (Modern French consistance) "a standing fast," from Medieval Latin consistentia, from Latin consistentem (nominative consistens), present participle of consistere (see consist). Meaning "coherence, solidity" is recorded from 1620s.
consistency (n.): 1590s, "firmness of matter," from Medieval Latin consistentia or directly from Latin consistentem, from consistere (see consist). Meaning "state of being in agreement or harmony" (with something) is from 1650s; meaning "self-consistent" is from 1716.
consistent (adj.): 1570s, "standing firm, standing still," from Latin consistentem (nominative consistens), present participle of consistere (see consist). Modern sense of "agreeing" (with with) is first attested 1640s. Older sense survives in consistency. Related: Consistently.
consistory (n.): c.1300, "secular tribunal," from Old North French consistorie (Old French consistoire, 12c.) and directly from Late Latin consistorium "waiting room, meeting place of the imperial council," from Latin consistere (see consist). Meaning "Church council" is from early 14c.
consol (n.): alternative form of console (n.).
consolate (v.): late 15c., from Latin consolatus, past participle of consolari (see console (v.)); obsolete and replaced by console (v.).
consolation (n.): late 14c., "act of consoling," from Old French consolacion (11c., Modern French consolation) "solace, comfort; delight, pleasure," from Latin consolationem (nominative consolatio-) "consoling, comforting," noun of action from consolat-, past participle stem of consolari (see console (v.)). Consolation prize is recorded from 1886.
consolations (n.): c.1400, "act of consolation;" see consolation.
consolatory (adj.): early 15c., from Latin consolatorius, from consolator, agent noun from consolari (see console (v.)).
console (v.): 1690s, from French consoler "to comfort, console," from Latin consolari "offer solace, encourage, comfort, cheer," from com-, intensive prefix (see com-), + solari "to comfort" (see solace). Or perhaps a back-formation from consolation. The Latin word is glossed in Old English by frefran. Related: Consoled; consoling.
console (n.): 1706, "a cabinet; an ornamental base structure," from French console "a bracket" (16c.), of uncertain origin, possibly from Middle French consolateur, literally "one who consoles," word used for carved human figures supporting cornices, shelves or rails in choir stalls. Another guess connects it to Latin consolidare. Sense evolved to "body of a musical organ" (1881), "radio cabinet" (1925), then "cabinet for a TV, stereo, etc." (1944).
consolidate (v.): 1510s, "to compact into one body," from Latin consolidatus, past participle of consolidare "to make solid," from com- "together" (see com-) + solidare "to make solid" (see solid). Meaning "to make firm or strong" is from mid-16c. Related: Consolidatedconsolidating.
consolidated (adj.): past participle adjective from consolidate. Of money, debt, etc., from 1753; in literal sense of "made firm, unified," from c.1850.
consolidation (n.): c.1400, from Late Latin consolidationem (nominative consolidatio), noun of action from past participle stem of consolidare "to make firm, consolidate," from com- "together" (see com-) + solidare "to make solid," from solidus (see solid).
consomme (n.): 1815, from French consommé, noun use of past participle of consommer "to consume" (12c.), from Latin consummare "to complete, finish, perfect" (see consummation). The French verb was influenced in sense by Latin consumere "to consume."
consonance (n.): early 15c., "agreement among persons," from Old French consonance (12c.) "consonance, rhyme," from Latin consonantia "harmony, agreement," from consonantem (nominative consonans) (see consonant). Meaning "correspondence of sounds" is from 1580s.
consonant (n.): early 14c., "sound other than a vowel," from Latin consonantem (nominative consonans), present participle of consonare "to sound together, sound aloud," from com- "with" (see com-) + sonare, from sonus "sound" (see sound (n.1)). Consonants were thought of as sounds that are only produced together with vowels.
consonant (adj.): early 15c., from Old French consonant (13c.), from Latin consonantem (nominative consonans), present participle of consonare (see consonant (n.)).
consort (n.): early 15c., "partner," from Middle French consort "colleague, partner, wife" (14c., Old French consorte), from Latin consortem (nominative consors) "partner, comrade; wife, brother, sister," noun use of adjective meaning "having the same lot, of the same fortune," from com- "with" (see com-) + sors "a share, lot" (see sort (n.)). Sense of "husband or wife" ("partner in marriage") is 1630s in English.
consort (v.): 1580s, from consort (n.). Related: Consorted; consorting. Confused in form and sense with concert since 1580s.
consortia (n.): plural of consortium.
consortium (n.): 1829, from Latin consortium "fellowship, participation, society," from consors (genitive consortis; see consort (n.)). Earlier, in British law, a term for "right of husband's access to his wife."
conspecific (adj.): 1859, from conspecies (1837), from con- "with" + specific, here representing species (n.). From 1962 as a noun.
conspectus (n.): 1836, from Latin conspectus "a looking at, sight, view; range or power of vision," from past participle of conspicere "to look at" (see conspicuous).
conspicuous (adj.): 1540s, from Latin conspicuus "visible, open to view, striking," from conspicere "to look at, observe, see, notice," from com-, intensive prefix (see com-), + specere (see scope (n.1)). Phrase conspicuous by its absence (1859) is said to be from Tacitus ("Annals" iii.76), in a passage about certain images: "sed præfulgebant ... eo ipso quod effigies eorum non visebantur."
conspiracy (n.): mid-14c., from Anglo-French conspiracie, Old French conspiracie "conspiracy, plot," from Latin conspirationem (nominative conspiratio) "agreement, union, unanimity," noun of action from conspirare (see conspire); earlier in same sense was conspiration (early 14c.), from French conspiration (13c.), from Latin conspirationem. An Old English word for it was facengecwis. As a term in law, from 1863. Conspiracy theory is from 1909.
conspirator (n.): c.1400, conspyratour, from Old French conspirateur, from Latin conspiratorem (nominative conspiratorio), noun of action from conspirat-, past participle stem of conspirare (see conspire). Fem. form conspiratress is from mid-18c. Related: Conspiratorial; conspiratorially; conspiratory.
conspire (v.): late 14c., from Old French conspirer (14c.), from Latin conspirare "to agree, unite, plot," literally "to breathe together," from com- "together" (see com-) + spirare "to breathe" (see spirit (n.)). Or perhaps the notion is "to blow together" musical instruments, i.e., "To sound in unison." Related: Conspired; conspiring.
constable (n.): c.1200, "chief household officer, justice of the peace," from Old French conestable (12c., Modern French connétable), "steward, governor," principal officer of the Frankish king's household, from Late Latin comes stabuli, literally "count of the stable" (established by Theodosian Code, c.438 C.E.), hence, "chief groom." See count (n.). Second element is from Latin stabulum "stable, standing place" (see stable (n.)). Probably a translation of a Germanic word. Meaning "an officer of the peace" is from c.1600, transferred to "police officer" 1836. French reborrowed constable 19c. as "English police."
constabulary (n.): 1630s, "district under a constable," from Medieval Latin constabularia, from constabulus, Latinized form of Old French conestable (see constable). Meaning "organized body of constables" is from 1837. Earlier (mid-15c.) as an adjective, "pertaining to a constable."
constance (n.): mid-14c., "steadfastness," from Old French constance "steadfastness, permanence" (14c.), from Latin constantia (source of Italian costanza, Spanish constancia), noun of action from constantem (see constant (adj.)). Obsolete since 17c. except as a given name for a girl, which enjoyed a mild popularity in U.S. c.1945-1955.
constancy (n.): 1520s, from constance + -cy.
constant (adj.): late 14c., "steadfast, resolute," from Old French constant (14c.) or directly from Latin constantem (nominative constans) "standing firm, stable, steadfast, faithful," present participle of constare, from com- "together" (see com-) + stare "to stand," from PIE root *sta- "to stand" (see stet). Of actions and conditions from 1650s. Related: Constantly.
constant (n.): 1832 in mathematics and physics, from constant (adj.).
Constantinople: the proper name from 330 C.E. to 1930 C.E. of what is now Istanbul, from Greek Konstantinou polis "Constantine's city," named for Roman emperor Flavius Valerius Aurelius Constantinus, whose name is derived from Latin constans (see constant (adj.)).
constellation (n.): early 14c., from Old French constellacion "constellation, conjuncture (of planets)," from Late Latin constellationem (nominative constellatio) "set with stars," from constellatus, from Latin com- "with" (see com-) + past participle of stellare "to shine," from stella "star" (see star). Originally in astrology, of position of planets ("stars") in regard to one another on a given day, usually one's birth day, as a determination of one's character. "I folwed ay myn inclinacioun/By vertu of my constillacioun" (Chaucer, "Wife's Prologue," c.1386). Modern astronomical sense is from 1550s.
consternate (v.): 1650s, from Latin consternatus, past participle of consternare (see consternation).
consternation (n.): 1610s, from French consternation "dismay, confusion," from Latin consternationem (nominative consternatio) "confusion, dismay," from consternat-, past participle stem of consternare "overcome, confuse, dismay, perplex, terrify, alarm," probably related to consternere "throw down, prostrate," from com-, intensive prefix (see com-), + sternere "to spread out" (see stratum).
constipate (v.): 1530s, in part a back-formation from constipation, in part from Latin constipatus, past participle of constipare (see constipation). Earlier as an adjective (early 15c.); an earlier verb in this sense was constipen (late 14c.). Related: Constipated; constipating.
constipation (n.): c.1400, "constriction of tissue," from Late Latin constipationem (nominative constipatio), noun of state from Latin constipare "to press or crowd together," from com- "together" (see com-) + stipare "to cram, pack" (see stiff (adj.)). Specifically of the bowel condition since 1540s.
constituency (n.): "body of constituents," 1806, from constituent + -cy.
constituent (n.): 1620s, "one who appoints or elects a representative," from Latin constituentem (nominative constituens), present participle of constituere (see constitute). The notion is "to make up or compose" a body by appointing or electing a representative. As an adjective, "essential, characteristic," from 1660s; "that appoints or elects a representative to a body," from 1714.
constitute (v.): mid-15c., verb use of adjective constitute, "made up, formed" (late 14c.), from Latin constitutus "arranged, settled," past participle adjective from constituere "to cause to stand, set up, fix, place, establish, set in order; form something new; resolve," of persons, "to appoint to an office," from com-, intensive prefix (see com-), + statuere "to set," from PIE root *sta- "to stand," with derivatives meaning "place or thing that is standing" (see stet). Related: Constituted; constituting.
constitution (n.): mid-14c., "law, regulation, edict," from Old French constitucion (12c.) "constitution, establishment," and directly from Latin constitutionem (nominative constitutio) "act of settling, settled condition, anything arranged or settled upon, regulation, order, ordinance," from constitut-, past participle stem of constituere (see constitute).

Meaning "action of establishing" is from 1580s; that of "way in which a thing is constituted" is from c.1600; that of "physical health, strength and vigor of the body" is from 1550s; of the mind, "temperament, character" from 1580s. Sense of "mode of organization of a state" is from c.1600; that of "system of principles by which a community is governed" dates from 1730s; especially of a document of written laws since the U.S. and French constitutions, late 18c.
constitutional (adj.): 1680s, "pertaining to a person's (physical or mental) constitution," from constitution + -al (1). Meaning "beneficial to bodily constitution" is from 1750. Meaning "authorized or allowed by the political constitution" is from 1765. Constitutional monarchy is recorded from 1801, from French. Related: Constitutionally.
constitutional (n.): "a constitutional walk," 1829, probably originally among university students, from constitutional (adj.) in the "beneficial to bodily health" sense.
constitutionalism (n.): 1832, "constitutional system of government;" occasionally also "constitutionality;" from constitutional (adj.) + -ism.
constitutionality (n.): 1787, "quality of being in accord with a constitution," from constitutional (adj.) + -ity.
constitutive (adj.): c.1600, "having the power of establishing," also "elemental, essential," from Medieval Latin *constitutivus, from constitut-, past participle stem of constituere (see constitute). Related: Constitutively.
constrain (v.): early 14c., constreyen, from stem of Old French constreindre (Modern French contraindre) "restrain, control," from Latin constringere "to bind together, tie tightly, fetter, shackle, chain," from com- "together" (see com-) + stringere "to draw tight" (see strain (v.)). Related: Constrained; constraining.