Where does “public comment” come from?

public comment (English) comes from English comment, from Middle English coment, from Old French coment, from Old French -ment, from Latin -mentum, from Latin -menta, from Proto-Indo-European -mn̥ — Creates action nouns or result nouns from verbs.

public comment (English): Input given by the public to governmental (or rarely other) bodies, about proposed legislation or regulation(s), during a period—and by means—set aside and prescribed by law

Definitions

  1. Input given by the public to governmental (or rarely other) bodies, about proposed legislation or regulation(s), during a period—and by means—set aside and prescribed by law

Ancestry of “public comment”, step by step

public comment traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English comment

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishcommentA spoken or written remark; A remark embedded in...
2Middle Englishcoment
3Old Frenchcomentcommentary
4Old French-mentUsed to form adverbs, most of the time equivalent...
5Latin-mentuminstrument, medium, or result of; e.g....
6Latin-mentanominative plural of -mentum; accusative plural...
7Proto-Indo-European-mn̥Creates action nouns or result nouns from verbs

via English public

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishpublicAble to be seen or known by everyone; open to...
2Middle Englishpublik
3Middle Frenchpublic
4Latinpūblicusof or belonging to the people, state, or community
5Old LatinpoplicusAlternative form of publicus
6Latinpōpulusa people, nation
7Proto-Italicpoplosarmy
Every word from Proto-Indo-European -mn̥Every word from Latin -mentumEvery word from Old French -ment