meet | Search Online Etymology Dictionary

110 entries found.

"a plane curve with a characteristic 'figure-eight' shape consisting of two loops that meet at a central point," 1811, from Late Latin lemniscus "a pendent ribbon," from Greek lēmniskos "woolen ribbon, woolen tape," perhaps originally or literally "of Lemnos," the island in the Aegean, but if so the reason is obscure. Related: Lemniscate (adj.), 1781.

carrefour (n.)

late 15c., "place where four ways meet," from Old French carrefor (13c., quarrefour), from Medieval Latin quadrifurcus "four-forked," from Latin quatuor "four" (from PIE root *kwetwer- "four") + furca "two-pronged fork" (a word of unknown etymology). "Formerly quite naturalized, but now treated only as French" [OED]. Englished variant carfax is from Middle English carfourkes.

obviate (v.)

1590s, "to meet and dispose of, clear (something) out of the way," from Late Latin obviatus, past participle of obviare "act contrary to, go against," from Latin obvius "that is in the way, that moves against," from obviam (adv.) "in the way," from ob "in front of, against" (see ob-) + viam, accusative of via "way" (see via). Related: Obviated; obviating.

hookup (n.)

also hook-up, "connection," 1903, from verbal phrase hook up, which is attested from 1825 in reference to yarn; 1925 as "establish a link with." The noun is from 1922 of radio sets, later of television broadcasts. Modern slang verbal sense of "to meet for sex" is attested by 2003.

satisfice (v.)

1560s, transitive, "to satisfy" (implied in satisficed), altered from satisfy by influence of its Latin root satisfacere. A Northern English colloquial word; the modern use in the sense of "do just enough to meet" (requirements, etc.) is by c. 1956 and might be an independent formation. Related: Satisficing.

conjoint (adj.)

"united, connected, associated," late 14c., from Old French conjoint, past participle of conjoindre "to meet, come together" (12c.), from Latin coniungere "to join together," from assimilated form of com "with, together" (see con-) + iungere "to join together" (from nasalized form of PIE root *yeug- "to join." Related: Conjointly (early 14c.).

conclave (n.)

late 14c., "a place where cardinals meet to elect a pope," also "the assembly of cardinals to elect a pope," from Italian conclave, from Latin conclave "a private room, chamber suite," probably originally "a room which may be locked," from assimilated form of com "with, together" (see con-) + clavis "a key" (from PIE root *klau- "hook"). Extended sense of "any private assembly" is by 1560s.

watering (n.)

Old English wæterunge "a carrying water," verbal noun from water (v.). From late 14c. as "a soaking with water;" mid-15c. as "a giving water to (an animal);" c. 1600 as "salivation." Watering-can is from 1690s (earlier water-can, late 14c.); watering-hole is from 1882 (earlier water-hole, 1670s, watering-place, mid-15c.); by 1965 in the figurative sense "place where people meet and socialize over drinks."

conjoin (v.)

late 14c., "to join together, unite; form a union or league," from Old French conjoindre "meet, come together" (12c.), from Latin coniungere "to join together," from assimilated form of com "with, together" (see con-) + iungere "to join together" (from nasalized form of PIE root *yeug- "to join"). Related: Conjoined, conjoining. Conjoined in reference to "Siamese twins" is recorded from 1749.

against (prep.)

12c., agenes "in opposition to, adverse, hostile; in an opposite direction or position, in contact with, in front of, so as to meet," originally a southern variant of agan (prep.) "again" (see again), with adverbial genitive. The unetymological -t turned up mid-14c. and was standard by early 16c., perhaps from influence of superlatives (see amidst). Use as a conjunction, "against the time that," hence "before," is now archaic or obsolete.

Page 4

Trending words