Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “college” come from?

College comes from Old French college, from Latin collegium, a body of colleagues united by shared duties, ultimately from Latin com- and legere meaning to gather or choose together.

college (English): A corporate group; a group of colleagues; A group...

Definitions

  1. A corporate group; a group of colleagues; A group...

Ancestry of “college”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle EnglishcollegeA grouping of clergy; A grouping of teachers and...
2Middle Frenchcollege—
3Old Frenchcollége—
4Latincollēgium—
5Latincollēga—
6Latincom-allomorph of con-
7Latincon-Used in compounds to indicate a being or bringing...
8Latincumwith, along with; at; -fold
9Old LatincomAlternative form of cum
10Proto-Italickomwith, along, at
11Proto-Indo-Europeanḱómbeside, near, by, with
12Proto-Indo-EuropeanḱeDeictic particle, here; Post-positional...
13Middle Englishkyt—
14Germankitt—
15Old High Germankuti—
16Proto-West Germanickwidugum, resin
17Proto-Germanickweduzresin
18Proto-Indo-Europeangʷet-resin, gum; to say, speak
19Proto-Indo-Europeangū-to bend; curve; arch; vault; to bow, bend, arch,...

Words derived from “college”

  • precollege
  • postcollege
  • noncollege
  • collegebound
  • colleger
  • collegewide
  • intercollege
  • collegemate
  • collegelike
  • collegey
  • subcollege
  • anticollege
  • college-goer
  • collegegoer
  • колледж
  • college
  • collegepusero
  • koledž
  • колеџ
  • कालिज
  • kolehiyo
  • kaleds
  • koledž
  • কলেজ
Every word from Proto-Indo-European gū- →