Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “noncommittal” come from?

Noncommittal derives from English committal, which comes from English commit, ultimately from Latin com meaning "together," combined with English nine through the prefix non-.

noncommittal (English): Tending to avoid commitment; lacking certainty or...

Definitions

  1. Tending to avoid commitment; lacking certainty or...

Ancestry of “noncommittal”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishcommittalThe act of entrusting something to someone; The...
2EnglishcommitteeA body of one or more persons convened for the...
3EnglishcommitTo give in trust; to put into charge or keeping;...
4Middle Englishcommitten—
5LatincommittoI commit; I begin; I carry on
6Latincōn-—
7Latincumwith, along with; at; -fold
8Old LatincomAlternative form of cum
9Proto-Italickomwith, along, at
10Proto-Indo-Europeanḱómbeside, near, by, with
11Proto-Indo-EuropeanḱeDeictic particle, here; Post-positional...
12Middle Englishkyt—
13Germankitt—
14Old High Germankuti—
15Proto-West Germanickwidugum, resin
16Proto-Germanickweduzresin
17Proto-Indo-Europeangʷet-resin, gum; to say, speak
18Proto-Indo-Europeangū-to bend; curve; arch; vault; to bow, bend, arch,...

Words derived from “noncommittal”

  • noncommittally
Every word from Proto-Indo-European gū- →