Where does “coefficient” come from?

coefficient (French) comes from French efficient, from Latin efficiens, from Latin efficiō, from Latin ex, from Latin commūnicō, from Latin commūnis, from Old Latin com(m)oinis, from Proto-Italic kommoinis — to bend; curve; arch; vault; to bow, bend, arch,...

coefficient (French): coefficient

Definitions

  1. coefficient

Ancestry of “coefficient”, step by step

coefficient traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.

via French efficient

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Frenchefficientefficient; effective
2Latinefficiensproducing, and related senses of the action;...
3Latinefficiōto make out or work out; effect, execute, complete, accomplish, make, form, compose
4LatinexA name of the letter "X"; out of, from
5Latincommūnicōto impart, share
6Latincommūniscommon, commonplace, ordinary, general, universal, shared, shared alike, of both sides, belonging to two or more together
7Old Latincom(m)oinis
8Proto-Italickommoiniscommon
9Proto-Indo-Europeanḱom-moy-ni-held in common
10Proto-Indo-Europeanḱómbeside, near, by, with
11Proto-Indo-EuropeanḱeDeictic particle, here; Post-positional...
12Middle Englishkyt
13Germankittputty certain kinds of cement used for fixing e.g. window panes
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,...

via Latin coefficiens

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Latincoefficienscoefficient
2Latincoefficio
3Latinco-allomorph of con-
4Latincōn-Used in compounds to indicate a being or bringing together of several objects
5Latin-dōto put
6Proto-Germanic-dô
7SiciliandiUsed to indicate possession, after the thing owned and before the owner; of; ’s
8Latinof; concerning; about
9Latinpostbehind; after, since, besides, except; behind,...
10Latinposteablative singular of postis
11Proto-Italicpostibehind, after
12Proto-Indo-Europeanpóstiafter
13Proto-Indo-Europeanpósafterwards, post; by, at

via Latin efficere

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Latinefficerepresent active infinitive of efficiō;...

Words derived from “coefficient

Every word from Proto-Indo-European gū-
coefficient — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer