Online Etymology Dictionary

controversal (adj.): 1610s, from Latin controversus "turned against" (see controversy) + -al (1).
controversary (adj.): c.1600, from stem of Latin controversus (see controversy) + -ary.
controverse (v.): c.1600, from French controversé, from Latin controversus (see controversy).
controversial (adj.): 1580s, from Late Latin controversialis "pertaining to controversy," from Latin controversia (see controversy).
controversy (n.): late 14c., from Old French controversie or directly from Latin controversia, from controversus "turned in an opposite direction, disputed, turned against," from contra- "against" (see contra) + versus (see verse).
controvert (v.): c.1600, probably a back-formation from controversy. Related: Controverted; controverting; controvertible.
contumacious (adj.): c.1600, from Latin contumaci-, stem of contumax "haughty, insolent, obstinate" (see contumely) + -ous.
contumacy (n.): late 14c., from Latin contumacia "haughtiness, insolence," noun of quality from contumax (see contumely).
contumelious (adj.): late 15c., from Old French contumelieus, from Latin contumeliosus "reproachful, insolently abusive," from contumelia (see contumely).
contumely (n.): late 14c., from Old French contumelie, from Latin contumelia "a reproach, insult," probably related to contumax "haughty, stubborn," from com-, intensive prefix (see com-), + tumere "to swell up" (see thigh).
The unhappy man left his country forever. The howl of contumely followed him across the sea, up the Rhine, over the Alps; it gradually waxed fainter; it died away; those who had raised it began to ask each other, what, after all, was the matter about which they had been so clamorous, and wished to invite back the criminal whom they had just chased from them. [Thomas Babington Macaulay, "Lord Byron," 1877]
contusion (n.): c.1400, from Middle French contusion, from Latin contusionem (nominative contusio) "crushing, bruising," from contus-, past participle stem of contundere "to beat, break to pieces," from com-, intensive prefix (see com-), + tundere "to beat" (see obtuse).
contusive (adj.): 1798, from Latin contus-, past participle stem of contundere (see contusion) + -ive.
conundrum (n.): 1590s, Oxford University slang for "pedant," also "whim," etc., later (1790) "riddle, puzzle." Also spelled quonundrum. The sort of ponderous pseudo-Latin word that was once the height of humor in learned circles.
conurbation (n.): 1915, from Latin com- "with, together" (see com-) + urbs "city" + -ation. Coined by Scottish biologist and urban planner Patrick Geddes (1854-1932) in "Cities in Evolution."
conus (n.): 1885, from Latin conus "cone" (see cone).
convalesce (v.): late 15c., from Latin convalescere "thrive, regain health," from com-, intensive prefix (see com-), + valescere "to begin to grow strong," inchoative of valere "to be strong" (see valiant). Only in Caxton and Scottish writers until 19c. Related: Convalesced; convalescing.
convalescence (n.): late 15c., from Middle French convalescence (15c.), from Late Latin convalescentia "regaining of health," from convalescentem (nominative convalescens), present participle of convalescere (see convalesce).
convalescent (adj.): 1650s, from French convalescent, from Latin convalescentem (nominative convalescens), present participle of convalescere (see convalesce). As a noun, attested from 1758.
convection (n.): 1620s, from Latin convectionem (nominative convectio) "the act of carrying," noun of action from past participle stem of convehere "to carry together," from com- "together" (see com-) + vehere "to carry" (see vehicle). Related: Convective. Convection current recorded from 1868.
convenance (n.): late 15c., from French convenance "convention, agreement, convenience," from convenant, present participle of convenir "to come together" (see convene).
convene (v.): early 15c., from Middle French convenir "to suit, agree," from Latin convenire "unite, be suitable, agree, assemble," from com- "together" (see com-) + venire "to come" (see venue). Related: Convened; convener; convening.
convenience (n.): late 14c., "agreement, conformity," from Latin convenientia "meeting together, agreement, harmony," from conveniens, present participle of convenire (see convene). Meaning "suitable, adapted to existing conditions" is from c.1600; that of "personally not difficult" is from 1703.
conveniences (n.): "material appliances conducive to personal comfort," 1670s, plural of convenience.
convenient (adj.): late 14c., from Latin convenientem (nominative conveniens), present participle of convenire (see convene).
conveniently (adv.): late 14c., "harmoniously," from convenient + -ly (2). Meaning "in a way that avoids difficulty" is from c.1500.
convenor (n.): variant of convener (see convene).
convent (n.): c.1200, covent, cuvent, from Anglo-French covent, from Old French convent, from Latin conventus "assembly," used in Medieval Latin for "religious house," originally past participle of convenire "come together" (see convene). Not exclusively feminine until 18c. The form with restored Latin -n- emerged early 15c. The Middle English form remains in London's Covent Garden district (notorious late 18c. for brothels), so called because it had been the garden of a defunct monastery.
COVENT GARDEN ABBESS. A bawd.
COVENT GARDEN AGUE. The venereal diſeaſe.
["Classical Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue," 1796]
conventicle (n.): from Latin conventiculum "a small assembly," diminutive of conventus (see convent).
convention (n.): early 15c., "agreement," from Middle French convention and directly from Latin conventionem (nominative conventio) "meeting, assembly, covenant," noun of action from past participle stem of convenire (see convene).
conventional (adj.): late 15c., "of the nature of an agreement," from Late Latin conventionalis "pertaining to convention or agreement," from Latin conventionem (see convention). Meaning "of the nature of a convention" is from 1812, now rare; "established by social convention" is from 1761; that of "following tradition" is from 1831; that of "non-nuclear" is from 1955. Realted: Conventionality; conventionally.
converge (v.): 1690s, from Late Latin convergere "to incline together" from com- "together" (see com-) + vergere "to bend" (see verge (v.)). Related: Converged; converging.
convergence (n.): 1713, from converge + -ence. Related: Convergent. Convergent evolution was in use among biologists by 1890.
conversant (adj.): late 14c., from Old French conversant, present participle of converser (see converse (v.)).
conversate (v.): by 1994, apparently a back-formation from conversation or an elaboration of converse. According to some, from U.S. black English.
conversation (n.): mid-14c., "living together, having dealings with others," also "manner of conducting oneself in the world;" from Old French conversation, from Latin conversationem (nominative conversatio) "act of living with," noun of action from past participle stem of conversari "to live with, keep company with," literally "turn about with," from Latin com- "with" (see com-) + vertare, frequentative of vertere (see versus).

Specific sense of "talk" is 1570s. Used as a synonym for "sexual intercourse" from at least 1511, hence criminal conversation, legal term for adultery from late 18c. Related: Conversationalist; conversationist.
conversational (adj.): 1779, from conversation + -al (1).
converse (v.): "to communicate (with)," 1590s; earlier "to move about, live, dwell" (mid-14c.), from Old French converser "to talk" (12c.), from Latin conversari (see conversation). Related: Conversed; conversing.
converse (adj.): "exact opposite," 1560s, from Latin conversus "turn around," past participle of convertere "to turn about" (see convert). Originally mathematical. The noun is attested from 1550s in mathematics. Related: Conversely.
conversion (n.): mid-14c., originally of religion, from French conversion, from Latin conversionem (nominative conversatio), noun of action from past participle stem of convertere (see convert (v.)). General sense of "transformation" is early 15c. Of buildings, from 1921. Conversion disorder "hysteria" (attested from 1946 but said to have been coined by Freud) was in DSM-IV (1994).
convert (v.): c.1300, from Old French convertir, from Vulgar Latin *convertire, from Latin convertere "turn around, transform," from com- "together" (see com-) + vertere "to turn" (see versus). Originally in the religious sense. The Latin word is glossed in Old English by gecyrren, from cierran "to turn, return." Related: Converted; converting.
convert (n.): 1560s, from convert (v.). Earlier was convers (early 14c.).
converter (n.): 1530s, agent noun from convert (v.). Of machinery, from 1867.
convertible (adj.): late 14c., from Old French convertible (13c.), from Late Latin convertibilis "changeable," from Latin convertere (see convert (v.)). The noun is recorded from 1610s; meaning "automobile with a fold-down top" is from 1916.
convex (adj.): 1570s, from Middle French convexe, from Latin convexus "vaulted, arched," past participle of convehere "to bring together," from com- "together," or "thoroughly" (see com-) + vehere "to bring" (see vehicle). Possibly from the idea of vaults carried together to meet at the point of a roof. Related: Convexity. Convex lens is from 1822.
convey (v.): c.1300, "to go along with;" late 14c., "to carry, transport;" from Anglo-French conveier, from Old French convoier "to escort" (Modern French convoyer), from Vulgar Latin *conviare "to accompany on the way," from Latin com- "together" (see com-) + via "way, road" (see via). It was a euphemism for "steal" 15c.-17c., which helped broaden its meaning. Related: Conveyed; conveying.
conveyance (n.): mid-15c., "act of conveying," from convey + -ance. Meaning "document by which something is legally conveyed" is from 1570s; sense "means of transportation" is attested from 1590s. Related: Conveyanced; conveyancing.
conveyer (n.): 1510s, agent noun from convey. Latinate form conveyor is later (1640s).
convict (v.): mid-14c., from Latin convictus, past participle of convincere "to 'overcome' in argument" (see convince). Replaced Old English verb oferstælan. Related: Convicted; convicting.
convict (n.): late 15c., from convict (v). Slang shortening con is from 1893.
conviction (n.): mid-15c., "the proving of guilt," from Late Latin convictionem (nominative convictio) "proof, refutation," noun of action from past participle stem of convincere (see convince). Meaning "mental state of being convinced" is from 1690s; that of "firm belief, a belief held as proven" is from 1841.