Etymology Explorer › Middle English

Where does “college” come from?

college (Middle English) comes from Middle French college, from Old French collége, from Latin collēgium, from Latin collēga, from Latin com-, from Latin con-, from Latin cum, from Old Latin com — to bend; curve; arch; vault; to bow, bend, arch,...

college (Middle English): A grouping of clergy; A grouping of teachers and...

Definitions

  1. A grouping of clergy; A grouping of teachers and...

Ancestry of “college”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Frenchcollege—
2Old Frenchcollége—
3Latincollēgium—
4Latincollēga—
5Latincom-allomorph of con-
6Latincon-Used in compounds to indicate a being or bringing...
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 “college”

  • college
  • precollege
  • postcollege
  • noncollege
  • collegebound
  • colleger
  • collegewide
  • intercollege
  • collegemate
  • collegelike
  • collegey
  • subcollege
  • anticollege
  • college-goer
  • collegegoer
  • колледж
  • college
  • collegepusero
  • koledž
  • колеџ
  • कालिज
  • kolehiyo
  • kaleds
  • koledž
Every word from Proto-Indo-European gū- →