Etymology Explorer › Middle French

Where does “commencer” come from?

commencer (Middle French) comes from Old French comencier, from Vulgar Latin cominitiare, from Latin com-, 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,...

commencer (Middle French): to start; to begin

Definitions

  1. to start; to begin

Ancestry of “commencer”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Frenchcomencierto start; to begin
2Vulgar Latincominitiarepresent active infinitive of *cominitiō;...
3Latincom-allomorph of con-
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 “commencer”

  • commencer
  • recommencer
  • recommence
  • commence
  • komenciĝi
  • komenci
  • rekomenci
  • komencaĉi
  • rikomencar
  • komencar
  • komanse
Every word from Proto-Indo-European gū- →