Etymology dictionary
corpus delicti — cot (n.2)
corpus delicti
1832, Latin, literally "body of the offense;" not "the murder victim's body," but the basic elements that make up a crime, which in the case of a murder includes the body of the victim. For first element, see corpus. With delictum "a fault, offense, crime, transgression," etymologically "a falling short" of the standard of law, neuter singular of past participle of delinquere "to fail; be wanting, fall short; offend" (see delinquent).
corral (v.)
1847, "to drive into a corral," from corral (n.). From 1848 as "to form a circle with wagons." Meaning "to lay hold of, collar, capture, make a prisoner of" is U.S. slang from 1860. Related: Corralled.
corral (n.)
1580s, "pen or enclosure for horses or cattle," from Spanish corral, from corro "ring," Portuguese curral, a word of uncertain origin. Perhaps ultimately African, or from Vulgar Latin *currale "enclosure for vehicles," from Latin currus "two-wheeled vehicle," from currere "to run," from PIE root *kers- "to run." In U.S. history, "wide circle of the wagons of an ox- or mule-train formed for protection at night by emigrants crossing the plains" (1848).
corrective (adj.)
"having the power to correct," 1530s, from French correctif, from Latin correct-, past-participle stem of corrigere "to put straight; to reform" (see correct (v.)). As a noun, "that which has the power of correction," from 1610s.
correct (adj.)
"in accordance or agreement with a certain standard, model, or original," 1670s, from French correct "right, proper," from Latin correctus, past participle of corrigere "to put straight; to reform" (see correct (v.)). Related: Correctly; correctness.
correctable (adj.)
"able to be corrected," mid-15c., from correct (v.) + -able. Form correctible is attested by 1784. Related: Correctability.
correctional (adj.)
"tending to or intended for correction," 1790; see correction + -al (1) or else from Medieval Latin correctionalis, from past-participle stem of Latin corrigere.
correct (v.)
mid-14c., "to set (someone) right by punishing for a fault or error, to discipline;" late 14c., of texts, "to bring into accordance with a standard or original," from Latin correctus, past participle of corrigere "to put straight, attempt to make (a crooked thing) straight, reduce to order, set right;" in transferred use, "to reform, amend," especially of speech or writing, from assimilated form of com-, here perhaps an intensive prefix (see com-), + regere "to lead straight, rule" (from PIE root *reg- "move in a straight line," with derivatives meaning "to direct in a straight line," thus "to lead, rule").
Meaning "to remove or counteract the operation of" is from late 14c. Related: Corrected; correcting.
correction (n.)
mid-14c., correccioun, "authority to correct;" late 14c., "action of correcting or chastising, rectification of faults (in character, conduct, etc.) by restraints or punishments," also "a bringing into conformity to a standard, model, or original," from Old French correccion (13c.) "correction, amendment; punishment, rebuke," from Latin correctionem (nominative correctio) "an amendment, improvement," noun of action from past-participle stem of corrigere "to put straight; to reform" (see correct (v.)).
Meaning "an instance of correction, that which is proposed or substituted for what is wrong" is from 1520s. House of correction "place of confinement, intended to be reformatory, for those convicted of minor offenses and not considered as belonging to the professional criminal class" was in an English royal statute from 1575.
correctness (n.)
1680s, "state or quality of being in conformity with an acknowledged rule or standard of what is considered true, right, moral, or proper," from correct (adj.) + -ness.
Corregidor
island at the entrance to Manila Bay in the Philippines, fortified 18c. by the Spanish, it was the place where the maritime registrar recorded the particulars of ships entering the bay, hence the name, from Spanish corregidor "chief magistrate of a town," etymologically "correcter," from Latin corrigere "to put straight; to reform" (see correct (v.)).
correlation (n.)
1560s, "mutual relation, interdependence, interconnection," from French corrélation, from cor- "together" (see com-) + relation (see relation). Meaning "action of bringing into orderly connection" is by 1879.
correlate (n.)
"the secondary term of a relation, that to which something is related," 1640s, perhaps a back-formation from correlation or from correlate (adj.), from a Medieval Latin adjectival use of the Latin past participle.
correlate (v.)
1742, "to be reciprocally related" (intransitive), back-formation from correlation, or else a verbal use of the noun. Transitive sense of "to place in reciprocal relation" is by 1849. Related: Correlated; correlating; correlative.
correspondent (n.)
"one who communicates with another by letters," 1620s, from correspondent (adj.). The newspaper sense "one who sends regular communications in the form of letters from a distant location" is from 1711.
correspond (v.)
1520s, "to be in agreement, to be in harmony with," from French correspondre (14c.) or directly from Medieval Latin correspondere "correspond, harmonize, reciprocate," from assimilated form of com "together, with (each other)" (see com-) + respondere "to answer" (see respond).
Originally in Medieval Latin of two things in mutual action, but by later Medieval Latin it could be used of one thing only. In English, sense of "to be similar" (to) is from 1640s; that of "to hold communication with" is from c. 1600; specifically "to communicate by means of letters" from 1640s (in mid-18c. it also could mean "have sex"). Related: Corresponded; corresponding.
corresponding (adj.)
1570s, "related by correspondence," present-participle adjective from correspond. Not common until 19c., when it took on the adjectival function of correspondent. Related: Correspondingly (1836).
correspondence (n.)
early 15c., "congruence, resemblance, harmony, agreement," from Medieval Latin correspondentia, from correspondentem (nominative correspondens), present participle of correspondere "correspond, harmonize, reciprocate," from assimilated form of com "together, with (each other)" (see com-) + respondere "to answer" (see respond). Sense of "communication by letters" is first attested 1640s; that of "the letters which pass between correspondents" is from 1771.
correspondent (adj.)
early 15c., "having an analogous relationship (to), answering, matching," a sense taken up since 19c. by corresponding; from Medieval Latin correspondentem, present participle of correspondere "correspond, harmonize, reciprocate," from assimilated form of com "together, with (each other)" (see com-) + respondere "to answer" (see respond).
corridor (n.)
1590s, "continuous path around a fortification," from French corridor (16c.), from Italian corridore "a gallery or long passage in a building or between two buildings," etymologically "a runner," from correre "to run," from Latin currere "to run" (from PIE root *kers- "to run").
Original military sense in English now is obsolete. Meaning "outside gallery around the court of a building" is from 1640s; sense of "long hallway with rooms opening off it" is by 1814. Meaning "strip of territory of one state through another to give access," typically to the sea, is from 1919.
corrigible (adj.)
mid-15c., "capable of being corrected or amended," from Old French corrigible, from Medieval Latin corrigibilis "that which can be corrected," from Latin corrigere "to put straight; to reform" (see correct (v.)). Of persons, "capable of being reformed in character," 1580s. Related: Corrigibility.
corrigendum (n.)
"a word or phrase in print that is to be corrected or altered," 1718, from Latin corrigendum (plural corrigenda) "that which is to be corrected," neuter gerundive of corrigere "to correct" (see correct (v.)).
corroborate (v.)
1520s, "to give (legal) confirmation to," from Latin corroboratus, past participle of corroborare "to strengthen, invigorate," from assimilated form of com "with, together," here perhaps "thoroughly" (see com-) + roborare "to make strong," from robur, robus "strength," (see robust).
Meaning "to strengthen by evidence, to confirm" is from 1706. Sometimes 16c.-18c. in its literal Latin sense "make strong or add strength to," especially of medicines. Related: Corroborated; corroborating; corroborative.
corroboration (n.)
mid-15c., corroboracioun, "act of strengthening, support" (a sense now obsolete), from Late Latin corroborationem (nominative corroboratio), noun of action from past-participle stem of Latin corroborare "to strengthen, invigorate," from assimilated form of com "with, together," here perhaps "thoroughly" (see com-) + roborare "to make strong," from robur, robus "strength," (see robust). Meaning "act of confirming, verification, confirmation" is attested by 1768.
corrode (v.)
late 14c., "to eat away, diminish or disintegrate (something) by gradually separating small bits of it," from Old French corroder (14c.) and directly from Latin corrodere "to gnaw to bits, wear away," from assimilated form of com-, here perhaps an intensive prefix (see com-), + rodere "to gnaw" (see rodent). Figurative use from 1630s. Related: Corroded; corroding.
corrosive (adj.)
"destroying by or as if by corrosion," late 14c., from Old French corrosif (13c.), from corroder "to wear away" (see corrode). Related: Corrosively; corrosiveness.
corrosion (n.)
c. 1400, corrosioun, from Old French corrosion and directly from Latin corrosionem (nominative corrosio), noun of action from past-participle stem of corrodere "to gnaw to bits, wear away," from assimilated form of com-, here perhaps an intensive prefix (see com-), + rodere "to gnaw" (see rodent).
corrugation (n.)
1520s, "act of corrugating," from Latin *corrugationem (nominative corrugatio), noun of action from past-participle stem of corrugare (see corrugate). Meaning "a wrinkling, contraction into wrinkles" is by 1829.
corrugate (v.)
"to wrinkle, to draw or contract into folds," 1610s, from Latin corrugatus, past participle of corrugare "to make full of wrinkles, wrinkle very much" (also "produce loathing, cause disgust"), from assimilated form of com-, here perhaps an intensive prefix (see com-), + rugare "to wrinkle," from ruga "crease, groove," which is of uncertain origin (see rugae).
corrugated (adj.)
1620s, "wrinkled" (of skin, etc.), past-participle adjective from corrugate (q.v.). The earlier adjective was simply corrugate (early 15c.), from Latin corrugatus. Meaning "bent into curves or folds" (of iron, cardboard, etc., for elasticity and strength) is from 1853.
corruptible (adj.)
late 14c., of material things, "subject to decay or putrefaction, perishable," from Old French corroptible (14c.) or directly from Late Latin corruptibilis "liable to decay, corruptible," from past-participle stem of Latin corrumpere "to destroy; spoil," figuratively "corrupt, seduce, bribe" (see corrupt (adj.)).
Of persons, "susceptible of being changed for the worse, tending to moral corruption," mid-15c. As "open to bribery" from 1670s. Related: Susceptibility (late 15c.).
corruption (n.)
mid-14c., corrupcioun, of material things, especially dead bodies, "act of becoming putrid, dissolution, decay;" also of the soul, morals, etc., "spiritual contamination, depravity, wickedness," from Latin corruptionem (nominative corruptio) "a corruption, spoiling, seducing; a corrupt condition," noun of action from past-participle stem of corrumpere "to destroy; spoil," figuratively "corrupt, seduce, bribe" (see corrupt (adj.)).
Meaning "putrid matter" is from late 14c. Of public offices, "bribery or other depraving influence," from early 15c.; of language, "perversion, vitiation," from late 15c. Meaning "a corrupt form of a word" is from 1690s.
corrupt (adj.)
early 14c., "corrupted, debased in character," from Old French corropt "unhealthy, corrupt; uncouth" (of language) and directly from Latin corruptus, past participle of corrumpere "to destroy; spoil," figuratively "corrupt, seduce, bribe," from assimilated form of com-, here perhaps an intensive prefix (see com-), + rup-, past participle stem of rumpere "to break," from a nasalized form of PIE *runp- "to break" (source also of Sanskrit rupya- "to suffer from a stomach-ache;" Old English reofan "to break, tear").
Meaning "decomposing, putrid, spoiled" is from late 14c. Sense of "changed for the worse, debased by admixture or alteration" (of language, etc.) is from late 14c. Meaning "guilty of dishonesty involving bribery" is from late 14c. Related: Corruptly; corruptness.
corrupt (v.)
mid-14c., "deprave morally, pervert from good to bad;" late 14c., "contaminate, impair the purity of; seduce or violate (a woman); debase or render impure (a language) by alterations or innovations; influence by a bribe or other wrong motive," from Latin corruptus, past participle of corrumpere "to destroy; spoil," figuratively "corrupt, seduce, bribe" (see corrupt (adj.)).
Intransitive sense of "putrefy, change from a sound to a putrid state" is from late 14c. Related: Corrupted; corrupting. In Middle English also corrumpen (mid-14c., along with corrumpcioun), from Old French corompre, from Latin corumpere.
corse (n.)
late 13c., "a dead body;" c. 1300, "a living body;" c. 1400, "the main part of anything," from Old French cors, from Latin corpus "body" (from PIE root *kwrep- "body, form, appearance"). Archaic from 16c.; compare corpse.
corsage (n.)
late 15c., "size of the body" (a sense now obsolete), from Old French corsage "bust, trunk, body" (12c.), from cors "body," from Latin corpus "body" (from PIE root *kwrep- "body, form, appearance").
The meaning "body of a woman's dress, bodice" is from 1818 in fashion plates translated from French; by 1843 in a clearly English context. Sense of "a bouquet worn on the bodice" is 1911, American English, apparently from French bouquet de corsage "bouquet of the bodice."
corsair (n.)
"government-sanctioned freebooter of the seas," 1540s, from French corsaire (15c.), from Provençal cursar, Italian corsaro, from Medieval Latin cursarius "pirate," from Latin cursus "course, a running," from currere "to run" (from PIE root *kers- "to run"). The sense of the Medieval Latin verb evolved from "course" to "journey" to "expedition" to an expedition specifically for plunder. As "a privateering pirate ship" from 1630s.
corselet (n.)
also corslet, "plate armor for the body," 1560s, from French corselet, a double diminutive of cors "body," from Latin corpus "body" (from PIE root *kwrep- "body, form, appearance"). For sense development, compare bodice.
corset (n.)
late 14c. (mid-13c. in Anglo-Latin), "a kind of laced bodice, close-fitting body garment," from Old French corset (13c.) "bodice, tunic," diminutive of cors "body," from Latin corpus "body" (from PIE root *kwrep- "body, form, appearance").
Meaning "stiff supporting and constricting undergarment for the waist, worn chiefly by women to shape the figure," is from 1795. They fell from fashion in the changing fashions after World War I. Related: Corseted, corsetted (1829); corseting; corsetry.
corsetier (n.)
fem. corsetière, "corset-maker," by 1848, from French, from corset (see corset).
Corsica
island in the Mediterranean north of Sardinia, a part of France since 1769, Latin, from Greek Korsis, which is of unknown origin. Renowned in ancient times for the honey and wax of wild bees. Corsican is from 1738 as an adjective; 1748 as a noun "native or inhabitant of Corsica." In early 19c., The Corsican was Napoleon Bonaparte, who was born there.
Cortes (n.)
1660s, "national legislative assembly of Spain; parliament or legislature of Portugal," from Spanish and Portuguese plural of corte, from Latin cortem (see court (n.)).
cortege (n.)
1640s, "train of attendants," from French cortège (16c.), from Italian corteggio "retinue," from corte "court," from Latin cohortem "enclosure," from com- "with" (see co-) + root akin to hortus "garden," from PIE *ghr-ti-, from PIE root *gher- (1) "to grasp, enclose."
cortex (n.)
1650s, "outer shell, husk;" in botany, zoology, anatomy, "some part or structure resembling bark or rind," from Latin cortex "bark of a tree" (from PIE root *sker- (1) "to cut"). Specifically of the brain, by 1741.
cortical (adj.)
1670s, in botany, "belonging to external covering," from Modern Latin corticalis "resembling or consisting of bark or rind," from cortex (genitive corticis) "bark of a tree" (from PIE root *sker- (1) "to cut"). Also used in anatomy, applied to enveloping parts (distinguished from medullary).
cortico-
used as a combining form of cortex (genitive corticis) in medical terms (see cortical).
corticoid (n.)
"steroid isolated from the adrenal cortex," 1941, from cortico-, combining form of Latin cortex (genitive corticis) "bark of a tree," in modern anatomy applied to enveloping parts or surfaces (see corium).
corticole (adj.)
"growing or living on the bark of trees," applied to lichens, fungi, 1851, from Latin cortic-, combining form of cortex "bark of a tree" (see corium) + colere "to inhabit" (see colony).
corticosteroid (n.)
1944, from cortico-, combining form of corticoid, + steroid. So called because they are produced in the adrenal cortex. Related: Corticosterone.
cortisol (n.)
"hydrocortisone," 1953; see from cortisone + -ol. Chosen as a shorter and clearer alternative to hydrocortisone.
cortisone (n.)
"steroid hormone found in the adrenal cortex," manufactured synthetically as an anti-inflammatory, 1949, coined by its discoverer, Dr. Edward C. Kendall, from a shortening of its chemical name, 17-hydroxy-11 dehydrocorticosterone, which is ultimately from Latin corticis (genitive of cortex; see cortical) and so called because it was obtained from the "external covering" of adrenal glands. Originally called Compound E (1936).
corundum (n.)
"very hard mineral" (crystalline aluminum oxide) used for grinding and polishing other gems, steel, etc., 1728, from Anglo-Indian, from Tamil (Dravidian) kurundam "ruby sapphire" (Sanskrit kuruvinda), which is of unknown origin. It is a dull or opaque variety of sapphire, amethyst, ruby, and topaz; in hardness it is next to diamond.
coruscation (n.)
"a flash or gleam of light," as of the reflection of lightning on clouds or moonlight on the sea, late 15c. (Caxton, choruscacyon), from Late Latin coruscationem (nominative coruscatio), noun of action from past-participle stem of Latin coruscare "to vibrate, glitter" (see coruscate).
coruscate (v.)
"emit, vivid flashes of light," 1705, from Latin coruscatus, past participle of coruscare "to vibrate, glitter," perhaps from PIE *(s)ker- (2) "leap, jump about" (compare scherzo), but de Vaan considers this "a long shot." Related: Coruscated; coruscating.
corvee (n.)
"day's unpaid labor due to a lord by vassals under French feudal system" (abolished 1776), mid-14c., from Old French corvee (12c., Modern French corvée), from Late Latin corrogata (opera) "requested (work)," from fem. past participle of Latin corrogare, from assimilated form of com "with" (see com-) + rogare "to ask," apparently a figurative use of a PIE verb meaning literally "to stretch out (the hand)," from PIE *rog-, variant of the root *reg- "move in a straight line."
corvette (n.)
1630s, also corvet, "wooden ship of war, flush-decked, frigate-rigged, and having only one tier of guns," from French corvette "small, fast frigate" (15c.), perhaps from Middle Dutch korver "pursuit ship," or Middle Low German korf meaning both a kind of boat and a basket, or from Latin corbita (navis) "slow-sailing ship of burden, grain ship" from corbis "basket" (OED, but Gamillscheg is against this).
In late 19c. a class of cruiser-like ships in the British navy; in World War II a fast naval escort vessel used in convoy duty. The U.S. sports car was so named September 1952, after the type of warship, on a suggestion by Myron Scott, employee of Campbell-Ewald, Chevrolet's advertising agency. Italian corvetta, Spanish corbeta are French loan-words.
corvine (adj.)
"pertaining to or having the character of crows and ravens," 1650s, from Latin corvinus "of or pertaining to the raven," from corvus "a raven," related to corax (Greek korax), all imitative of its harsh sound (see raven (n.)). According to fable, originally white but changed to black as a punishment for treachery, but the bird also was consecrated to Apollo for its supposed power of prophecy.
Corydon
traditional poetic name for a shepherd or rustic swain, from Latin Corydon, from Greek Korydon, name of a shepherd in Theocritus and Virgil, from korydos "crested lark." Beekes writes that "The connection with [korys] 'helmet' may be correct, but only as a variant of the same Pre-Greek word."
coryza (n.)
"acute inflammation of the mucous membranes of the nose, eyes, etc., a head-cold," 1630s, medical Latin, from Latinized form of Greek koryza "running at the nose," which is of uncertain etymology. It is traditionally compared to Germanic words for "mucus," such as Old English hrot, Old High German (h)roz "mucus" which are verbal nouns from Old English hrutan, Old High German hruzzan "to grumble, snore."
Cosa Nostra
1963, "the Mafia in America," Italian, literally "this thing of ours."
cose (v.)
"to make oneself cozy," 1857, back-formation from the British spelling of cozy. Related: Cosed; cosing.
cosecant (n.)
in trigonometry, 1706, from co, short for complement, + secant.
cosh (n.)
"stout stick," 1869, of unknown origin. Also as a verb, "to beat with a cosh." Related: Coshed; coshing.
Other English words of the same form, all apparently unrelated, include a provincial word for "a cottage, a hovel" (late 15c.), a provincial word for "the husk of corn" (1787), and an 18c. Scottish adjective meaning "neat, snug, quiet, comfortable."
cosher (v.)
"to extort entertainment from, to levy extractions upon," 1630s, apparently a phonetic spelling of Irish coisir "feast, entertainment." Related: Coshering (1570s).
cosy (adj.)
chiefly British form of cozy (q.v.).
cosigner (n.)
also co-signer, "one who unites with another or others in signing a treaty, etc.," 1946, agent noun from cosign. Earlier in this sense was cosignatory (1851).
cosign (v.)
also co-sign, "to sign (a document) along with another or others," by 1944, from co- + sign (v.). Related: Cosigned; cosigning.
cosily (adj.)
"in a cozy manner," 1721, from British spelling of cozy (q.v.). + -ly (2).
cosine (n.)
one of the three fundamental functions of trigonometry, 1630s, contraction of co. sinus, abbreviation of Medieval Latin complementi sinus (see complement + sine). The word was used in Latin c. 1620 by English mathematician Edmund Gunter.
cosmetic (n.)
c. 1600, "the art of beautifying, art of anointing or decorating the human body," from Latinized form of Greek kosmetike (tekhnē) "the art of dress and ornament," from fem. of kosmetikos "skilled in adornment or arrangement," from kosmein "to arrange, adorn," from kosmos "order; ornament" (see cosmos). The adjective is feminine because tekhne is a feminine noun.
Meaning "a preparation for beautifying, preparation that renders the n soft and pure or improves the complexion" (originally also the hair) is attested from 1640s. Related: Cosmetics.
cosmetic (adj.)
1640s, "pertaining to beauty, improving beauty," from French cosmétique (16c.), from Latinized form of Greek kosmetikos "skilled in adornment or arrangement," from kosmein "to arrange, adorn," from kosmos "order; ornament" (see cosmos). Related: Cosmetical (1550s). Of surgery, from 1926. Figurative sense of "superficial, affecting the appearance only" is from 1955. Related: Cosmetically.
cosmetology (n.)
"art or practice of beauty culture," 1855, from French cosmétologie, from Latinized form of Greek kosmetos "well-ordered," from kosmein "to arrange, adorn," from kosmos "order; ornament" (see cosmos) + -ology.
cosmetologist (n.)
"expert in cosmetics," 1925, American English, in state ordinances regulating the profession, from cosmetology + -ist. The earlier word was cosmetician (1914).
cosmic (adj.)
1640s, "worldly, of this world," a sense now obsolete, from Latinized form of Greek kosmikos "worldly, earthly, of the world," from kosmos "world-order, world" (see cosmos). Cosmical "related to the earth" is attested from 1580s.
Modern sense of "of or pertaining to the universe," especially as conceived as subject to a harmonious system of laws, is from 1846. Meaning "related to or dealing with the cosmos, forming part of the material universe beyond the earth or the solar system" is from 1871. In reference to inconceivably vast space or protracted time, from 1874. Related: Cosmically.
cosmos (n.)
c. 1200, "the universe, the world" (but not popular until 1848, when it was taken as the English equivalent to Humboldt's Kosmos in translations from German), from Latinized form of Greek kosmos "order, good order, orderly arrangement," a word with several main senses rooted in those notions: The verb kosmein meant generally "to dispose, prepare," but especially "to order and arrange (troops for battle), to set (an army) in array;" also "to establish (a government or regime);" "to deck, adorn, equip, dress" (especially of women). Thus kosmos had an important secondary sense of "ornaments of a woman's dress, decoration" (compare kosmokomes "dressing the hair," and cosmetic) as well as "the universe, the world."
Pythagoras is said to have been the first to apply this word to "the universe," perhaps originally meaning "the starry firmament," but it later was extended to the whole physical world, including the earth. For specific reference to "the world of people," the classical phrase was he oikoumene (ge) "the inhabited (earth)." Septuagint uses both kosmos and oikoumene. Kosmos also was used in Christian religious writing with a sense of "worldly life, this world (as opposed to the afterlife)," but the more frequent word for this was aiōn, literally "lifetime, age."
The word cosmos often suggested especially "the universe as an embodiment of order and harmony."
cosmo-
before a vowel cosm-, word-forming element from Latinized form of Greek kosmos (see cosmos). In older use, "the world, the universe;" since 1950s, especially of outer space. Also cosmico-.
cosmogony (n.)
1690s, "a theory of the creation;" 1766 as "the creation of the universe;" 1777 as "science of the origin of the universe," from Latinized form of Greek kosmogonia "creation of the world," from kosmos "world, universe" (see cosmos) + -gonia "a begetting," from gonos "birth" (from PIE root *gene- "give birth, beget"). Related: Cosmogonal; cosmogonic; cosmogonist.
cosmography (n.)
late 14c., "description of the universe," from Latin cosmographia; see cosmo- + -graphy. From 1510s as "science which describes and maps the main features of the heavens and earth." Related: Cosmographic; cosmographical; cosmographer.
cosmology (n.)
1650s, "general science or theory of the material universe as an ordered whole," from Modern Latin cosmologia, from Greek kosmos (see cosmos) + -logia "discourse" (see -logy). By 1753 as "the branch of metaphysics which discusses the ultimate philosophical problems relating to the existence of the universe." Related: Cosmologist.
cosmological (adj.)
"pertaining to or relating to cosmology," 1780, from cosmology + -ical. Greek kosmologikos meant "pertaining to physical philosophy." Related: Cosmologically.
cosmonaut (n.)
"a Russian astronaut," 1959, Englishing of Russian kosmonavt, which is ultimately from Greek kosmos (see cosmo-) + nautes "sailor" (from PIE root *nau- "boat"). In reference to space travel, cosmonautic is attested by 1947.
cosmopolite (n.)
"man of the world; citizen of the world, one who is cosmopolitan in ideas or life," 1610s, from Latinized form of Greek kosmopolites "citizen of the world," from kosmos "world" (see cosmos) + polites "citizen," from polis "city" (see polis). In common use 17c. in a neutral sense; it faded in 18c. but was revived from c. 1800 with a tinge of reproachfulness (opposed to patriot).
cosmopolitan (adj.)
1815, "free from local, provincial, or national prejudices and attachments," from cosmopolite "citizen of the world" (q.v.) on model of metropolitan. From 1833 as "belonging to all parts of the world, limited to no place or society." Meaning "composed of people of all nations, multi-ethnic" is from 1840. The U.S. women's magazine of the same name was first published in 1886.
As a noun, "one who is at home all over the world, a cosmopolite," 1640s. As the name of a vodka-based cocktail popular in 1990s (due to "Sex and the City" TV program) from late 1980s (the drink itself seems to date to the 1970s).
Cosmopolitanism in reference to an ideology that considers all humans as a single community is recorded by 1828. It took on a negative tinge in mid-20c., suggesting an undermining of indigenous and national societies and often tied to the supposed influence of the Jews.
cosplay (n.)
"practice or hobby of dressing as a character from a movie, book, or video game, especially one from Japanese manga and anime," 1993, according to Merriam-Webster, from costume (n.) + play (n.), based on a Japanese word formed from the same English elements and alleged to date from 1983. Also used as a verb.
Cossack (n.)
"one of a military people who inhabit the steppes of southern Russia, 1590s, from Russian kozak, from Turkish kazak "adventurer, guerrilla, nomad," from qaz "to wander." The same Turkic root is the source of the people-name Kazakh and the nation of Kazakhstan.
cosset (v.)
1650s, "to fondle, caress, indulge, make a pet of," from a noun (1570s) meaning "lamb brought up as a pet" (applied to persons from 1590s), of uncertain origin. Perhaps [Skeat] from Old English cot-sæta "one who dwells in a cot" (see cote (n.) + sit (v.)). Related: Coseted; coseting. Compare German Hauslamm, Italian casiccio.
cost (n.)
c. 1200, "price, value," from Old French cost "cost, outlay, expenditure; hardship, trouble" (12c., Modern French coût), from Vulgar Latin *costare, from Latin constare, literally "to stand at" (or with), with a wide range of figurative senses including "to cost," from an assimilated form of com "with, together" (see co-) + stare "to stand," from PIE root *sta- "to stand, make or be firm."
The idiom is the same one used in Modern English when someone says something stands at X dollars to mean it "sells for X dollars." The meaning "equivalent price given for a thing or service rendered, outlay of money" is from c. 1300. Cost of living is from 1889. To count the cost "consider beforehand the probable consequences" is attested by 1800.
In phrases such as at all costs there may be an influence or echo of obsolete cost (n.) "manner, way, course of action," from Old English cyst "choice, election, thing chosen." Compare late Old English alre coste "in any way, at all."
cost (v.)
"be the price of," also, in a general way, "require expenditure of a specified time or labor, or at the expense of (pain, loss, etc.)," late 14c., from Old French coster (Modern French coûter) "to cost," from cost (see cost (n.)). Related: Costing.
costa (n.)
Spanish costa "coast," from same Latin source as English coast (n.). Used in Britain from 1960s in jocular formations (costa geriatrica, costa del crime, etc.) in imitation of the names of Spanish tourist destinations.
costal (adj.)
"pertaining to the ribs, or the side of the body," 1630s, from French costal (16c.), from Medieval Latin costalis, from costa "a rib" (see coast (n.)).
co-star
also costar, 1915 as a noun; 1916 as a verb; from co- + star (v.).
costard (n.)
"large variety of apple," late 14c., coster; late 13c. in Anglo-Latin, perhaps from Anglo-French or Old French coste "rib" (from Latin costa "a rib;" see coast (n.)), if the notion is "a large apple with prominent 'ribs,' " i.e. one having a shape more like a green pepper than a plain, round apple. Also applied derisively to "the head" on resemblance to an apple. The word was common 14c.-17c. but later was limited to fruit-growers.
cost-effective (adj.)
also cost effective, 1967, from cost (n.) + effective.
costermonger (n.)
1510s, "itinerant apple-seller" from coster (see costard) + monger (n.). Sense extended from "apple-seller" to "hawker of fruits and vegetables," to any salesman who plied his wares from a street-cart. Contemptuous use is as old as Shakespeare ("Virtue is of so little regard in these coster-monger times, that true valour is turn'd bear-herd" "2 Henry IV"), but the reason for it is unclear.
costive (adj.)
"constipated, suffering from retention of hard fecal matter in the bowels," c. 1400, from Old French costivé, from Latin constipatus, past participle of constipare (see constipation). Figurative sense of "slow in action" is attested from 1590s. Related: Costively; costiveness.
costly (adj.)
"of great price, occasioning great expense," late 14c., from cost (n.) + -ly (1). Earlier formation with the same sense were costful (mid-13c.), costious (mid-14c.). Related: Costliness.
costume (v.)
to dress, furnish with a costume," "1823, from costume (n.). Related: Costumed; costuming.
costume (n.)
1715, "style of dress," but also more broadly "custom or usage with respect to place and time, as represented in art or literature; distinctive action, appearance, arms, furniture, etc.," from French costume (17c.), from Italian costume "fashion, habit," from Latin consuetudinem (nominative consuetudo) "custom, habit, usage." Essentially the same word as custom but arriving by a different path.
Originally it was an art term, referring to congruity in representation. From "customary clothes of the particular period in which the scene is laid," the meaning broadened by 1818 to "any defined mode of dress, external dress." Costume jewelry, made to be worn as an accessory to fashionable costume, is attested by 1917. Related: Costumic.
costumier (n.)
"one who makes or deals in costumes," 1831, from French costumier, from costumer, verb from costume (see costume (n.)).
cot (n.1)
"small, light bed," 1630s, from Hindi khat "couch, hammock," from Sanskrit khatva, probably from a Dravidian source (compare Tamil kattil "bedstead"). Sense extended to "canvas hammock bed on shipboard" (by 1769), then "portable bed of canvas or similar material, fastened to a light frame, capable of folding up" (1854). Meaning "small bed or crib for a child" is by 1818.
cot (n.2)
"hut, peasant's cottage, small house," a variant of cote (see cottage).