early 15c., "to give a part of (one's possessions);" late 15c., "to share, take part in," from Old French empartir, impartir "assign, allot, allocate, share out" (14c.), from Late Latin impartire (also impertire) "to share in, divide with another; communicate," from assimilated form of in- "into, in" (from PIE root *en "in") + partire "to divide, part" (from pars "a part, piece, a share," from PIE root *pere- (2) "to grant, allot").

Meaning "communicate as knowledge or information" is from 1540s; the word was not originally restricted to immaterial things but now usually is only in reference to qualities. Related: Imparted; imparting; impartment.

*perə-, Proto-Indo-European root meaning "to grant, allot" (and reciprocally, "to get in return"); possibly related to *pere- (1) "to produce, procure."

It forms all or part of: apart; apartment; bipartient; bipartisan; bipartite; compartment; depart; department; ex parte; impart; jeopardy; multipartite; parcel; parse; part; partial; participate; participation; particle; particular; particulate; partisan; partition; partitive; partner; party; portion; proportion; quadripartite; repartee; tripartite.

It is the hypothetical source of/evidence for its existence is provided by: Sanskrit purtam "reward;" Hittite parshiya- "fraction, part;" Greek peprotai "it has been granted;" Latin partem (nominative pars) "a part, piece," portio "share, portion."

1520s, "to impart (information, etc.); to give or transmit (a quality, feeling, etc.) to another," from Latin communicatus, past participle of communicare "to share, communicate, impart, inform," literally "to make common," related to communis "common, public, general" (see common (adj.)). Meaning "to share, transmit" (diseases, etc.) is from 1530s. Intransitive sense, of rooms, etc., "to open into each other" is from 1731. Related: Communicated; communicating.

"energize anew, impart fresh energy to," 1803, from re- "back, again" + energize. Related: Re-energized; re-energizing.

late 14c., "communicating," from Old French communicable and directly from Late Latin communicabilis, from Latin communicare "to share, divide out; communicate, impart, inform; join, unite, participate in," literally "to make common," related to communis "common, public, general" (see common (adj.)). Meaning "capable of being imparted or transferred" is from 1530s. Sense of "ready to converse or impart information" is from 1530s. Related: Communicability.

1530s, "to fill with smoke or vapor," from perfume (n.) or from French parfumer. Meaning "to impart a sweet scent to" is from 1530s. Related: Perfumed; perfuming.

late 15c., "refine, impart a higher character to" (implied in ennobled), from French ennoblir; see en- (1) + noble (adj.). Sense of "give noble rank to" is from 1590s. Related: Ennobler; ennobling.