Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “congratulatory” come from?

Congratulatory comes from English -y added to congratulate, which derives from Latin con- combined with gratulāri, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European -kos.

congratulatory (English): Serving to congratulate

Definitions

  1. Serving to congratulate

Ancestry of “congratulatory”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishcongratulateTo express one’s sympathetic pleasure or joy to...
2Latincongratulatuscongratulated
3LatincongratulorI wish joy; I rejoice with; I congratulate
4Latincōn-—
5Latincumwith, along with; at; -fold
6Old LatincomAlternative form of cum
7Proto-Italickomwith, along, at
8Proto-Indo-Europeanḱómbeside, near, by, with
9Proto-Indo-EuropeanḱeDeictic particle, here; Post-positional...
10Middle Englishkyt—
11Germankitt—
12Old High Germankuti—
13Proto-West Germanickwidugum, resin
14Proto-Germanickweduzresin
15Proto-Indo-Europeangʷet-resin, gum; to say, speak
16Proto-Indo-Europeangū-to bend; curve; arch; vault; to bow, bend, arch,...

Words derived from “congratulatory”

  • congratulatorily
  • uncongratulatory
Every word from Proto-Indo-European gū- →