Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “sociability” come from?

Sociability comes from Middle French sociabilité, from Latin sociabilis meaning "capable of being joined," derived from socius "companion" and the suffix -bilis, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European sekʷ- meaning "to follow."

sociability (English): the skill, tendency or property of being sociable...

Definitions

  1. the skill, tendency or property of being sociable...

Ancestry of “sociability”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Frenchsociabilité—
2Latinsociābilis—
3LatinsocioI unite, join, ally, associate; I share in;...
4Latinsociussharing, joining in, partaking, associated;...
5Ancient Greekπάθοςpain, suffering, death; misfortune, calamity,...
6Ancient Greekπάσχωto undergo, experience; have someone do something...
7Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰendʰ-to bind; bond
Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰendʰ- →