Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “apposition” come from?

Apposition comes from Middle English apposicioun, from Middle French apposition, from Latin appositio, the noun form of appositum, the past participle of apponere, formed from the prefix ad- meaning toward and ponere meaning to place.

apposition (English): A construction in which one noun or noun phrase...

Definitions

  1. A construction in which one noun or noun phrase...

Ancestry of “apposition”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle EnglishapposiciounThe act of adding or utlising; apposition;...
2Middle Frenchapposition—
3Latinappositioapposition
4Latin-tiō—
5Latindissertātiō—
6Latindissertusarranged, disposed; explained
7Latindissereresecond-person singular future passive indicative...
8Latindis-asunder, apart, in two; reversal, removal;...
9Latincalceusshoe
10Latincalxlimestone; chalk; the finish line
11Ancient Greekχάλιξsmall stone, pebble; gravel, rubble

Words derived from “apposition”

  • appositional
  • appositionally
  • malapposition
  • reapposition
Every word from Ancient Greek χάλιξ →