Where does “communication” come from?

Communication derives from Latin communicatio, a noun formation from Latin communis meaning "common," which traces to Proto-Indo-European ko-moin-i with the suffix -kos.

communication (English): The act or fact of communicating anything;...

Definitions

  1. The act or fact of communicating anything;...

Ancestry of “communication”, step by step

communication traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Latin commūnicātiō

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Latincommūnicātiōsharing, imparting
2Latincommūnicōto impart, share
3Latincommūniscommon, commonplace, ordinary, general, universal, shared, shared alike, of both sides, belonging to two or more together
4Old Latincom(m)oinis—
5Proto-Italickommoiniscommon
6Proto-Indo-Europeanḱom-moy-ni-held in common
7Proto-Indo-Europeanḱómbeside, near, by, with
8Proto-Indo-EuropeanḱeDeictic particle, here; Post-positional...
9Middle Englishkyt—
10Germankittputty certain kinds of cement used for fixing e.g. window panes
11Old High Germankuti—
12Proto-West Germanickwidugum, resin
13Proto-Germanickweduzresin
14Proto-Indo-Europeangʷet-resin, gum; to say, speak
15Proto-Indo-Europeangū-to bend; curve; arch; vault; to bow, bend, arch,...

via Middle English communicacion

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishcommunicacion—
2Old Frenchcommunicacioncommunication
3Latincommūnicātiōnem—

Words derived from “communication”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European gū- →