Where does “conversation” come from?

Conversation comes from Middle English conversacioun, from French conversation, from Latin conversatio, derived from convertere, meaning to turn around or associate with others.

conversation (English): Expression and exchange of individual ideas...

Definitions

  1. Expression and exchange of individual ideas...

Ancestry of “conversation”, step by step

conversation traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Middle English conversacioun

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishconversacioun—
2Frenchconversationconversation
3Latinconversātiōway of life, conduct or behavior
4Latinconversorfirst-person singular present passive indicative...
5Latincōn-Used in compounds to indicate a being or bringing together of several objects
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—
12Germankittputty certain kinds of cement used for fixing e.g. window panes
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,...

via German Konversation

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1GermanKonversationconversation

Words derived from “conversation”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European gū- →