Online Etymology Dictionary

public (adj.): 1436, "pertaining to the people," from O.Fr. public (1311), from L. publicus, altered (by influence of L. pubes "adult population, adult") from Old L. poplicus "pertaining to the people," from populus "people." Meaning "open to all in the community" is from 1542. The noun meaning "the community" is attested from 1611. Public enemy is attested from 1756. Public relations first recorded 1913 (after an isolated use by Thomas Jefferson in 1807); abbreviation P.R. is from 1942. Public school is from 1580, originally, in Britain, a grammar school endowed for the benefit of the public, but most have evolved into boarding-schools for the well-to-do. The main modern meaning in U.S., "school (usually free) provided at public expense and run by local authorities," is attested from 1644. For public house, see pub.
Madison Avenue: "values and business of advertising and public relations," 1955, from the street in Manhattan, laid out c.1836 and named for U.S. President James Madison. The concentration of advertising agencies there seems to date from the 1940s.
image: early 13c., "artificial representation that looks like a person or thing," from O.Fr. image, earlier imagene (11c.), from L. imaginem (nom. imago) "copy, statue, picture, idea, appearance," from stem of imitari "to copy, imitate" (see imitate). Meaning "reflection in a mirror" is early 14c. The mental sense was in Latin, and appears in English late 14c. Sense of "public impression" is attested in isolated cases from 1908 but not in common use until its rise in the jargon of advertising and public relations, c.1958.
liturgy: 1550s, "the service of the Holy Eucharist," from M.Fr. liturgie, from L.L. liturgia "public service, public worship," from Gk. leitourgia, from leitourgos "one who performs a public ceremony or service, public servant," from leito- "public" (from laos "people;" cf. leiton "public hall," leite "priestess") + -ergos "that works," from ergon "work" (see urge (v.)). Meaning "collective formulas for the conduct of divine service in Christian churches" is from 1590s.
publish: early 14c., "to make public," from M.E. publicen (c.1300), altered (by influence of banish, finish, etc.) from O.Fr. publier, from L. publicare "make public," from publicus "public" (see public). The meaning "to issue (a book, engraving, etc.) for sale to the public" is first recorded 1520s. Publisher in the commercial sense is attested from 1740.
coexistence: "peaceful relations between states of different ideologies," 1954, a Cold War term.
publican: c.1200, "tax-gatherer," from O.Fr. publician (12c.), from L. publicanus "a tax collector," originally an adj., "pertaining to public revenue," from publicum "public revenue," noun use of neuter of publicus (see public). Original sense in Matt. xviii 17, etc.; meaning "keeper of a pub" first recorded 1728.
diplomatic: 1711, "pertaining to documents, texts, charters," from M.L. diplomaticus, from Gk. diplomat-, stem of diploma (see diploma). Meaning "pertaining to international relations" is recorded from 1787, apparently a sense evolved 18c. from the use of diplomaticus in Mod.L. titles of collections of international treaties, etc., in which the word refered to the "texts" but came to be felt as meaning "pertaining to international relations." In the general sense of "tactful and adroit," it dates from 1826. Related: Diplomatically.
saloon: 1728, Anglicized form of salon (q.v.), and originally used interchangeable with it. Meaning large hall in a public place (esp. a passenger boat) is from c.1835, also used of railway cars furnished like drawing rooms. Sense of "public bar" developed by 1841, Amer.Eng.
publication: late 14c., "the act of making publicly known," from O.Fr. publicacion (14c.), from L. publicationem (nom. publicatio) "a making public," n. of action from publicatus, pp. of publicare "make public," from publicus (see public). Meaning "the issuing of a book" is first recorded 1570s; "thing so issued" 1650s.
community: late 14c., from O.Fr. communité, from L. communitatem (nom. communitas) "community, fellowship," from communis "common, public, general, shared by all or many," (see common). L. communitatem "was merely a noun of quality ... meaning 'fellowship, community of relations or feelings,' but in med.L. it was, like universitas, used concretely in the sense of 'a body of fellows or fellow-townsmen' " [OED]. An O.E. word for "community" was gemænscipe "community, fellowship, union, common ownership," probably composed from the same PIE roots as communis. Community service as a criminal sentence is recorded from 1972, Amer.Eng. Community college is recorded from 1959.
panegyric: 1603, "eulogy, laudation," from Fr. panégyrique (1512), from L. panegyricus "public eulogy," originally an adj., from Gk. panegyrikos (logos) "(a speech) given in a public assembly," from panegyris "public assembly in honor of a god," from pan- "all" (q.v.) + agyris "place of assembly," Aeolic form of agora (q.v.).
pub: 1859, slang shortening of public house, which originally meant "any building open to the public" (1574), then "inn that provides food and is licensed to sell ale, wine, and spirits" (1669), and finally "tavern" (1768). Pub crawl first attested 1910 in British slang.
advertisement: mid-15c., "written statement calling attention to" something, "public notice" (of anything, but often of a sale); from Fr. avertissement, from stem of avertir (see advertise). Meaning "public notice" (usually paid), the main modern sense, emerged 1580s and was fully developed by 18c.
republic: 1604, "state in which supreme power rests in the people," from Fr. république, from L. respublica (abl. republica), lit. res publica "public interest, the state," from res "affair, matter, thing" + publica, fem. of publicus "public" (see public). Republican (adj.) "belonging to a republic" is recorded from 1712; in noun sense of "one who favors a republic" it is recorded from 1697; and in sense of a member of a specific U.S. political party (the Anti-Federalists) from 1782, though this was not the ancestor of the modern Republican Party, which dates from 1854. Republicrat in U.S. political jargon usually meaning "moderate," is attested from 1940.
fraternization: 1792, from Fr. fraternization (see fraternity); of relations between occupying soldiers and occupied civilians, from mid-19c; explicit from 1944.
junket: 1382, "basket in which fish are caught or carried," from M.L. juncata "rush basket," perhaps from L. juncus "rush." Shifted meaning 1530 to "feast, banquet," probably via notion of a picnic basket, which led to extended sense of "pleasure trip" (1814), and then to "tour by government official at public expense for no discernable public benefit" (1886, Amer.Eng.). Cf. It. cognate giuncata "cream cheese" (originally made in a rush basket).
publicity: 1791, "condition of being public," from Fr. publicité (1694), from M.L. publicitatem (nom. publicitas), from L. publicus (see public). Sense of "making something known, advertising" is from 1826. Publicity stunt first recorded 1926. Publicize first recorded 1928. Publicist (1792) is from Fr., originally "writer on current topics;" meaning "press agent" is from 1930.
realign: 1923, in ref. to European international relations, from re- "back, again" + align (q.v.). Realignment is recorded from 1889, in U.S. internal politics.
paregoric (n.): "medicine that soothes pain," 1704, from adj. (1684) "soothing," from L.L. paregoricus, from Gk. paregorikos "soothing, encouraging, consoling," from paregorein "speak soothingly to," from paregoros "consoling," from para- "beside" + root of agoreuein "speak in public," from agora "public assembly."
gawky: "awkward, ungainly," 1724, from gawk hand "left hand" (1703), perhaps a contraction of gaulick, thus "gaulish hand," derogatory slang that could have originated during some period of strained Anglo-Fr. relations.
common: c.1300, from O.Fr. comun, from L. communis "in common, public, general, shared by all or many," from PIE *ko-moin-i- "held in common," compound adjective formed from *ko- "together" + *moi-n-, suffixed form of base *mei- "change, exchange" (see mutable), hence lit. "shared by all." Second element of the compound also is the source of L. munia "duties, public duties, functions," those related to munia "office." Perhaps reinforced in O.Fr. by Frank. descendant of P.Gmc. *gamainiz (cf. O.E. gemæne "common, public, general, universal"), from the P.Gmc. form of PIE *ko-moin-i- (see mean (adj.)). Used disparagingly of women and criminals since c.1300. Common pleas is 13c., from Anglo-Fr. communs plets, hearing civil actions by one subject against another as opposed to pleas of the crown. Common prayer is contrasted with private prayer. Common stock is attested from 1888.
rostrum: 1542, from L. rostrum, name of the platform stand for public speakers in the Forum in ancient Rome. It was decorated with the beaks of ships taken in the first naval victory of the Roman republic, over Antium, in 338 B.C.E., and the word's older sense is "end of a ship's prow," lit. "beak, muzzle, snout," originally "means of gnawing," instrument noun form of rodere "to gnaw" (see rodent). Cf. claustrum "lock, bar," from claudere "to shut." Extended sense of any platform for public speaking is first recorded 1766. Plural form is rostra.
official (n.): 1314, from O.Fr. official (12c.), from L. officialis "attendant to a magistrate, public official," noun use of officialis (adj.) "of or belonging to duty, service, or office," from officium (see office). Meaning "person in charge of some public work or duty" first recorded 1555. The adj. is first attested 1533, from O.Fr. oficial, from L. officialis. Officialese "language of officialdom" first recorded 1884.
Sapphic: 1501, from Fr. saphique, from L. Sapphicus, from Gk. Sapphikos "of Sappho," in ref. to Sappho, poetess of the isle of Lesbos c.600 B.C.E. Especially in reference to her characteristic meters; sense of "pertaining to sexual relations between women" is from 1890 (see lesbian).
j'accuse: Fr., lit. "I accuse," phrase made famous by Emile Zola in a public letter attacking the irregularities of the Dreyfus trial (published Jan. 13, 1898).
Iron Curtain: in ref. to the Soviet occupation of Eastern Europe, famously coined by Churchill March 5, 1946, in speech at Westminster College, Fulton, Missouri, but it had been used earlier in this context (e.g. by U.S. bureaucrat Allen W. Dulles at a meeting of the Council on Foreign Relations, Dec. 3, 1945). The fig. sense of "impenetrable barrier" is attested from 1819, and the specific sense of "barrier at the edge of the sphere of influence of the Soviet Union" is recorded from 1920. During World War II, Goebbels used in in Ger. (ein eiserner Vorhang) in the same sense.
private (adj.): late 14c., from L. privatus "set apart, belonging to oneself" (not to the state), used in contrast to publicus, communis; originally pp. stem of privare "to separate, deprive," from privus "one's own, individual," from Old L. pri "before." Replaced O.E. syndrig. Grew popular 17c. as a preferred alternative to the snobbish overtones in common. Meaning "not open to the public" is from late 14c. Of persons, "not holding public office" it is recorded from early 15c. Private soldier "one below the rank of a non-commissioned officer" is from 1570s. Private parts "the pudenda" is from 1785. Private enterprise first recorded 1844. Privacy is first recorded mid-15c. Privatization is attested from 1959; privatize first recorded 1968.
trigonometry: "branch of mathematics that deals with relations between sides and angles of triangles," 1614, from Mod.L. trigonometria (Barthelemi Pitiscus, 1595), from Gk. trigonon "triangle" (from tri- "three" + gonia "angle;" see knee) + metron "a measure" (see meter (2)).
terms: "limiting conditions," early 14c.; see term. Hence expressions such as come to terms, make terms, on any terms, etc. Meaning "standing, footing, mutual relations," as in expression on good terms (with someone), is recorded from 1540s.
intercourse: 1449, "communication to and fro," from M.Fr. entrecours, from L. intercursus "a running between, intervention," from intercursus, pp. of intercurrere "to run between," from inter- "between" + currere "to run" (see current). Meaning "sexual relations" first recorded 1798.
entertainer: "public performer," 1530s, agent noun from entertain.
program (n.): 1633, "public notice," from L.L. programma "proclamation, edict," from Gk. programma (gen. programmatos) "a written public notice," from stem of prographein "to write publicly," from pro- "forth" + graphein "to write." General sense of "a definite plan or scheme" is recorded from 1837. Meaning "list of pieces at a concert, playbill" first recorded 1805 and retains the original sense. That of "objects or events suggested by music" is from 1854. Sense of "broadcasting presentation" is from 1923. Computer sense (n.,v.) is from 1945; hence programmer "person who programs computers," attested from 1948. Spelling programme, sometimes preferred in Britain, is from French and began to be used early 19c. The verb in the fig. sense of "to train to behave in a predetermined way" is from 1963.
roe (1): "fish eggs," c.1400, corresponding to O.N. hrogn, Flem. rog, M.L.G. and M.Du. roge, O.H.G. rogo "roe," from P.Gmc. *khrugna, corresponding to PIE *qreq- "spawn" (cf. Lith. kurkle, Rus. krjak "spawn of frogs"). Exact relations of the Gmc. words are uncertain.
incest: early 13c., "the crime of sexual intercourse between near kindred," from L. incestum "unchastity," also specifically "sex between close relatives," noun use of neut. adj. incestus "unchaste, impure," from in- "not" + castus "pure" (see caste). In early use also in ref. to sexual relations or marriage with one under a vow of chastity (sometimes distinguished as spiritual incest).
amity: mid-15c., "friendly relations," from M.Fr. amitie (13c.), from O.Fr. amistie (11c.), from V.L. *amicitatem (nom. amicitas) "friendship," from L. amicus "friendly;" related to amare "to love" (see Amy).
Tyburn: place of public execution for Middlesex from c.1200 to 1783; it stood at the junction of modern Oxford Street, Bayswater Road and Edgware Road.
demo: short for demonstration (tape, disc, etc.). Music recording given out for promotional purposes, 1963. The word was earlier used to mean public political demonstrations (1936).
Gradus ad Parnassum: L., lit. "A Step to Parnassus," mountain sacred to Apollo and the Muses, title of a dictionary of prosody used in Eng. public schools for centuries as a guide to Roman poetry. First printed at Cologne, 1687; first London edition 1691.
liaison (adj.): 1640s, from Fr. liaison "a union, a binding together," from L.L. ligationem (nom. ligatio) "a binding," from L. ligatus, pp. of ligare "to bind" (see ligament). Originally a cookery term for a thickening agent for sauces. Sense of "intimate relations" is from 1806. Military sense of "cooperation between branches, allies, etc." is from 1816. The noun meaning "one who is concerned with liaison of units, etc." is short for liaison officer.
promiscuous: c.1600, "consisting of a disorderly mixture of people or things," from L. promiscuus "mixed, indiscriminate," from pro- "forward" + miscere "to mix" (see mix). Meaning "indiscriminate in sexual relations" first recorded 1900, from promiscuity (1849, "indiscriminate mixture;" sexual sense 1865), from Fr. promiscuité, from L. promiscuus.
pro bono: short for M.L. pro bono publico "for the public good" (1726).
Gallup poll: 1940, from George H. Gallup (1901-1984), U.S. journalist and statistician, who in 1935 set up the American Institute of Public Opinion.
debutante: 1801, "female stage actress making her first public performance," from Fr. fem. of debutant (q.v.). In ref. to a young woman making her first appearance in society, from 1817.
maypole: "high pole painted with spiral stripes and decorated with flowers, set up in public places for May Day celebrants to dance around," attested from 1550s but certainly much older, as the first mention of it is in an ordinance banning them, and there are references to such erections, though not by this name, from a mid-14c. Welsh poem. See May Day.
Prado: public park and promenade in Madrid, 1645, from Sp., from L. pratum "meadow" (see prairie).
Iran: from Pers. Iran, from Middle Persian Ērān "(land) of the Iranians," gen. pl. of ēr- "an Iranian," from Old Iranian *arya- (O. Pers. ariya-, Avestan airya-) "Iranian", from Indo-Iranian *arya- or *ārya- (see Aryan), a self-designation, perhaps meaning "compatriot." In 1935 the government of Reza Shah Pahlavi requested governments with which it had diplomatic relations to call his country Iran, after the indigenous name, rather than the Gk.-derived Persia.
agitated: 1610s, "set in motion," pp. adj. from agitate. Meaning "disturbed" is from 1650s; that of "disturbed in mind" is from 1756. Meaning "kept constantly in public view" is from 1640s.
barely: O.E. bærlice "openly, clear, public;" see bare. Meaning "only, just" is recorded from late 15c.; that of "merely, simply" is from 1570s. In 15c. it also could mean "naked."
Eton: collar (1887), jacket (1881, formerly worn by the younger boys there), etc., from Eton College, public school for boys on the Thames opposite Windsor, founded by Henry VI.