Etymology Explorer › Middle English

Where does “consonant” come from?

consonant (Middle English) comes from Old French consonant, from Latin cōnsonāns, from Latin consono, from Latin con-, from Latin cum, from Old Latin com, from Proto-Italic kom, from Proto-Indo-European ḱóm — to bend; curve; arch; vault; to bow, bend, arch,...

Ancestry of “consonant”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Frenchconsonant—
2Latincōnsonāns—
3LatinconsonoI sound at the same time or together; sound...
4Latincon-Used in compounds to indicate a being or bringing...
5Latincumwith, along with; at; -fold
6Old LatincomAlternative form of cum
7Proto-Italickomwith, along, at
8Proto-Indo-Europeanḱómbeside, near, by, with
9Proto-Indo-EuropeanḱeDeictic particle, here; Post-positional...
10Middle Englishkyt—
11Germankitt—
12Old High Germankuti—
13Proto-West Germanickwidugum, resin
14Proto-Germanickweduzresin
15Proto-Indo-Europeangʷet-resin, gum; to say, speak
16Proto-Indo-Europeangū-to bend; curve; arch; vault; to bow, bend, arch,...

Words derived from “consonant”

  • consonant
  • consonantal
  • inconsonant
  • triconsonantal
  • consonantly
  • consonantism
  • preconsonantal
  • biconsonantal
  • postconsonantal
  • unconsonant
  • disconsonant
  • interconsonantal
  • consonantally
  • semiconsonant
  • postconsonantally
  • nonconsonantal
  • preconsonantally
  • consonantless
  • semiconsonantal
  • interconsonantally
  • triconsonantic
  • consonantize
  • consonantness
Every word from Proto-Indo-European gū- →