Where does “bull session” come from?
bull session (English) comes from English session, from Middle English session, from Old French session, from Latin sessiō, from Latin -tiō, from Latin dissertātiō, from Latin dissertus, from Latin disserere — small stone, pebble; gravel, rubble.
bull session (English): An informal discursive group discussion, often one where politics, economics or current events are discussed
Definitions
- An informal discursive group discussion, often one where politics, economics or current events are discussed
Ancestry of “bull session”, step by step
bull session traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English session
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | session | A period devoted to a particular activity, e.g.... |
| 2 | Middle English | session | — |
| 3 | Old French | session | sitting; session |
| 4 | Latin | sessiō | a sitting |
| 5 | Latin | -tiō | tion, -ation, -ing |
| 6 | Latin | dissertātiō | (spoken) dissertation, discourse, disquisition |
| 7 | Latin | dissertus | arranged, disposed; explained |
| 8 | Latin | disserere | second-person singular future passive indicative... |
| 9 | Latin | dis- | asunder, apart, in two; reversal, removal;... |
| 10 | Latin | calceus | shoe |
| 11 | Latin | calx | limestone; chalk; the finish line |
| 12 | Ancient Greek | χάλιξ | small stone, pebble; gravel, rubble |