Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “complicity” come from?

Complicity comes from Old French complice, derived from Latin complicare meaning to fold together, from the prefix cum meaning with.

complicity (English): The state of being complicit; involvement as a...

Definitions

  1. The state of being complicit; involvement as a...

Ancestry of “complicity”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Frenchcomplicitécomplicity
2Old Frenchcompliceaccomplice; confederate
3Latincomplexpartner, confederate
4Latincomplicō—
5Latincōn-—
6Latincumwith, along with; at; -fold
7Old LatincomAlternative form of cum
8Proto-Italickomwith, along, at
9Proto-Indo-Europeanḱómbeside, near, by, with
10Proto-Indo-EuropeanḱeDeictic particle, here; Post-positional...
11Middle Englishkyt—
12Germankitt—
13Old High Germankuti—
14Proto-West Germanickwidugum, resin
15Proto-Germanickweduzresin
16Proto-Indo-Europeangʷet-resin, gum; to say, speak
17Proto-Indo-Europeangū-to bend; curve; arch; vault; to bow, bend, arch,...
Every word from Proto-Indo-European gū- →