Etymology dictionary

-cule — curlew (n.)

-cule

word-forming element used to make diminutives, from French -cule or directly from Latin -culus (masc.), -cula (fem.), -culum (neuter); these appear to be variants of the diminutive suffix -ulus (see -ule) used after -i-, -e-, -u-, and consonant stems [Gildersleeve], or might be a double-diminutive involving "an ancient diminutive suffix *-qo-" [Palmer, "The Latin Language"].

There also was a Latin instrumentive suffix -culo-, -culum in baculum "walking stick," gubernaculum "rudder, helm; management, government," operculum "cover, lid," obstaculum "a hindrance, obstacle," oraculum "divine announcement."

culinary (adj.)

1630s, "of the kitchen;" 1650s, "pertaining to the art of cookery," from Latin culinarius "pertaining to the kitchen," from culina "kitchen, cooking stove, food," an unexplained variant from coquere "to cook" (from PIE root *pekw- "to cook, ripen").

cull (n.1)

1610s, "a selection, something picked out," from cull (v.). From 1791 as "flock animal selected as inferior;" 1958 as "a killing of animals deemed inferior."

cull (v.)

mid-14c., "choose, select, pick; collect and gather the best things from a number or quantity," especially with reference to literature, from Old French cuiler "collect, gather, pluck, select" (12c., Modern French cueillir), from Latin colligere "gather together, collect," originally "choose, select" (see collect).

Meaning "select livestock according to quality" is from 1889; notion of "select and kill (animals)," usually in the name of reducing overpopulation or improving the stock, is from 1934. Related: Culled; culling.

cull (n.2)

1690s, earlier cully (1660s) "a dupe, a sap-head," "a verdant fellow who is easily deceived, tricked, or imposed on" [Century Dictionary], rogues' slang, of uncertain origin.

Perhaps a shortening of cullion "base fellow," originally "testicle" (from French couillon, from Old French coillon "testicle; worthless fellow, dolt," from Latin coleus, literally "strainer bag;" see cojones). Another theory traces it to Romany (Gypsy) chulai "man." Also sometimes in the form cully, however some authorities assert cully was the canting term for "dupe" and cull was generic "man, fellow" without implication of gullibility. Compare also gullible. Related: Cullibility (1728).

Cullen

surname, c. 1300, in some uses it represents an Englishing of Cologne, the city in Germany. As a surname it can be this or from Cullen, Banffshire.

culminate (v.)

1640s, in astronomy, of a star or planet, "come to or be on the highest point of altitude; come to or be on the meridian," from Late Latin culminatus past participle of culminare "to top, to crown," from Latin culmen (genitive culminis) "top, peak, summit, roof, gable," also used figuratively, a contraction of columen "top, summit" (from PIE root *kel- (2) "to be prominent; hill"). Figurative sense in English of "reach the highest point" is from 1660s. Related: Culminant; culminated; culminating.

culmination (n.)

1630s, in astronomy/astrology, "position of a heavenly body when it is on the meridian," from French culmination, noun of action from past participle stem of Late Latin culminare "to top, to crown," from Latin culmen (genitive culminis) "top, peak, summit, roof, gable," also used figuratively, contraction of columen "top, summit" (from PIE root *kel- (2) "to be prominent; hill"). Figurative sense of "highest point or summit" is from 1650s.

culottes (n.)

"a divided skirt," 1911, from French culotte "breeches" (16c.), a diminutive of cul "bottom, backside, backside, anus," from Latin culus "bottom, fundament" (see tutu). The word was earlier in English in the singular cullote, which was used to mean "knee-breeches" (1842). Por le cul dieu "By God's arse" was an Old French oath. Related: Culottic, literally "having or wearing breeches," hence "pertaining to the respectable class of society" (Carlyle, 1837).

culpable (adj.)

"deserving censure, blameworthy," late 13c., coupable, from Old French coupable (12c., Modern French coupable), from Latin culpabilis "worthy of blame," from culpare "to blame," from culpa "crime, fault, blame, guilt, error." De Vaan writes that this might be from a PIE root *kuolp- "to bend, turn" (source also of Greek kolpos "bosom, lap;" see gulf (n.)). According to his sources, "The original meaning of culpa is 'a state of error' rather than 'an error committed'." English (and for a time French) restored the first Latin -l- in later Middle Ages. Related: Culpably; culpableness.

culpability (n.)

"blamableness," 1670s, from Late Latin culpabilitas "guilt, culpability," from Latin culpabilis "worthy of blame," from culpare "to blame," from culpa "crime, fault, blame, guilt, error."

culprit (n.)

1670s, "person arraigned for a crime or offense," according to legal tradition from Anglo-French cul prit, a contraction of Culpable: prest (d'averrer nostre bille) "guilty, ready (to prove our case)," words used by prosecutor in opening a trial. See culpable. It seems the abbreviation cul. prit was mistaken in English for an address to the defendant.

Meaning "a criminal, an offender" (1769) is, according to OED, "A change of sense, apparently due to popular etymology, the word being referred directly to L. culpa fault, offense."

cult (n.)

1610s, "worship, homage" (a sense now obsolete); 1670s, "a particular form or system of worship;" from French culte (17c.), from Latin cultus "care, labor; cultivation, culture; worship, reverence," originally "tended, cultivated," past participle of colere "to till" (see colony).

The word was rare after 17c., but it was revived mid-19c. (sometimes in French form culte) with reference to ancient or primitive systems of religious belief and worship, especially the rites and ceremonies employed in such worship. Extended meaning "devoted attention to a particular person or thing" is from 1829.

cultellation (n.)

"the determination of the exact point on the ground vertically beneath a point at some height above it, by letting fall a knife or other pointed object," 1700, from Latin cultellus "small knife," diminutive of culter "knife, plowshare," from PIE *kel-tro-, suffixed form of root *skel- (1) "to cut."

cultivate (v.)

by 1650s, of land, "till, prepare for crops;" by 1690s of crops, "raise or produce by tillage;" from Medieval Latin cultivatus, past participle of cultivare "to cultivate," from Late Latin cultivus "tilled," from Latin cultus "care, labor; cultivation," from past participle of colere "to cultivate, to till; to inhabit; to frequent, practice, respect; tend, guard," from PIE root *kwel- (1) "revolve, move round; sojourn, dwell."

Figurative sense of "improve by labor or study, devote one's attention to" is from 1680s. Meaning "court the acquaintance of (someone)" is by 1707. Related: Cultivated; cultivating.

cultivator (n.)

"one who or that which cultivates," 1660s, noun of action (in Latin form) from cultivate. As the name of an agricultural tool for breaking up ground, from 1759.

cultivated (adj.)

1660s, of persons, "cultured, refined, educated;" 1797, of land, "subject to cultivation;" past-participle adjective from cultivate (v.).

cultivation (n.)

1700, "the devoting of special attention or study to the development of" (a branch of knowledge); by 1716 in the general sense of "promotion of mental growth or development," in both cases a figurative use, from French cultivation (16c.), noun of action from cultiver, from Latin cultivare "to till" (see cultivate). Meaning "the raising of a plant or crop" is from 1719; sense of "act or practice of tilling land and preparing it for crops" is from 1725.

cultivable (adj.)

1680s, "capable of being tilled," from French cultivable, from cultiver, from Latin cultivare "to till" (see cultivate). Alternative form cultivatable (1753) seems to be a native formation from cultivate.

cultivar (n.)

"a variety produced in cultivation," 1923, a contraction of cultivated variety; coined by U.S. horticulturalist Liberty Hyde Bailey (1858-1954) in "Gentes Herbarum."

culture (n.)

mid-15c., "the tilling of land, act of preparing the earth for crops," from Latin cultura "a cultivating, agriculture," figuratively "care, culture, an honoring," from past participle stem of colere "to tend, guard; to till, cultivate" (see colony). Meaning "the cultivation or rearing of a crop, act of promoting growth in plants" (1620s) was transferred to fish, oysters, etc., by 1796, then to "production of bacteria or other microorganisms in a suitable environment" (1880), then "product of such a culture" (1884).

The figurative sense of "cultivation through education, systematic improvement and refinement of the mind" is attested by c. 1500; Century Dictionary writes that it was, "Not common before the nineteenth century, except with strong consciousness of the metaphor involved, though used in Latin by Cicero." Meaning "learning and taste, the intellectual side of civilization" is by 1805; the closely related sense of "collective customs and achievements of a people, a particular form of collective intellectual development" is by 1867.

Slang culture vulture "one voracious for culture" is from 1947. Culture shock "disorientation experienced when a person moves to a different cultural environment or an unfamiliar way of life" is attested by 1940. Ironic or contemptuous spelling kulchur is attested from 1940 (Pound), and compare kultur.

cultural (adj.)

1813, "of or pertaining to the raising of plants or animals," from Latin cultura "tillage, a cultivating, agriculture," figuratively "care, culture, an honoring," from past participle stem of colere "to tend, guard; to till, cultivate" (see colony). With -al (1). Figurative senses of "relating to civilizations," also "the cultivation of the mind," are attested by 1875; hence, "relating to the culture of a particular place at a particular time" (by 1909).

Cultural anthropology is attested by 1910, and cultural has been a fertile starter-word among anthropologists and sociologists, for example cultural diffusion, in use by 1912; cultural diversity, by 1935; cultural imperialism, by 1937; cultural pluralism, by 1932; cultural relativism, by 1948. China's Cultural Revolution (1966) began in 1965; the name is a shortened translation of Chinese Wuchan Jieji Wenhua Da Geming "Proletarian Cultural Great Revolution."

culturally (adv.)

1889, "in a cultural manner," from cultural + -ly (2).

cultured (adj.)

1743, of land, etc., "cultivated," adjective from culture. Meaning "developed under controlled natural conditions" is from 1906, originally of pearls. Meaning "refined, improved by exposure to intellectual culture" is by 1777.

culturalization (n.)

by 1929; see cultural + -ization. Culturation "cultivation" is attested c. 1600; hence culturate (v.) "to cultivate" (1630s). Culturalize "instill with culture" is attested by 1915. Related: Culturalized.

culvert (n.)

"a drain of brickwork or masonry under a road, railroad, etc.," 1773, origin unknown; OED calls it "A recent word of obscure origin." Perhaps, as Weekley suggested long ago, it is the name of a long-forgotten engineer or bridge-builder.

cum

verb ("to ejaculate") and noun ("semen"), by 1973, apparently a variant of come in the sexual sense that originated in pornographic writing, perhaps first in the noun. This "experience sexual orgasm" slang meaning of come (perhaps originally come off) is attested by 1650, in "Walking In A Meadowe Greene," in a folio of "loose songs" collected by Bishop Percy.

It probably is older and disguised in puns, e.g. "I come, I come, sweet death, rock me a-sleep!" ["Nashe His Dildo," 1590s]

As a noun meaning "semen or other product of orgasm" come is attested by the 1920s.

The sexual cum seems to have no connection with Latin cum, the preposition meaning "with, together with, in connection with" (an archaic form of com; see com-) which English uses on occasion in names of combined parishes or benefices (such as Chorlton-cum-Hardy), in popular Latin phrases (such as cum laude), or as a combining word to indicate a dual nature or function (such as slumber party-cum-bloodbath).

Cumaean (adj.)

1660s, "of or pertaining to Cumae" (Greek Kyme), ancient city on the coast of Campania near Naples, founded by Greeks 8c. B.C.E. and reputed to be the earliest Greek settlement in Italy; especially in reference to the famous sibyl there.

cumber (v.)

c. 1300, cumbren, combren, "to overthrow, destroy, probably a shortening of acombren "obstructing progress," from Old French encombrer, from combre "obstruction, barrier," from Vulgar Latin *comboros "that which is carried together," which is perhaps from a Gaulish word. The likely roots are PIE *kom (see com-) and *bher- (1) "to carry," also "to bear children."

Weakened sense of "to hamper in movement, to obstruct or weigh down" is from c. 1300. Related: Cumbered; cumbering. Cumber-world (late 14c.) was an old word for any thing or person that encumbers the world without being useful; cumber-ground (1650s) was "useless or unprofitable thing or person."

Cumberland

English county, Old English Cumbra land (945) "region of the Cymry" (see Cymric).

cumbersome (adj.)

late 14c., "burdensome, troublesome," from cumber (v.) + -some (1). Meaning "unwieldy, inconvenient, hard to carry" is from 1590s. Cumberless "free from care or encumbrance" (1580s) is rare. Related: Cumbersomely; cumbersomeness.

cumbrance (n.)

c. 1300, "destructive influence;" late 14c., "trouble, difficulty," from cumber + -ance.

Cumbrian (adj.)

1747, "of or pertaining to the early medieval principality or kingdom of Cumbria or Strathclyde, from the Latin name of Cumberland. By 1780 in a modern sense "belonging to the Lake District." Cumbric as "the extinct Celtic language of Cumbria" is by 1950.

cumbrous (adj.)

late 14c., of things, "obstructing movement or vision;" c. 1400, "cumbersome, troublesome, clumsy, unwieldy, difficult to use," also of persons, "causing trouble," from cumber + -ous.

cumin (n.)

"fennel-like umbelliferous plant of the carrot family found wild in Egypt and Syria and cultivated for its fruit," Old English cymen, from Latin cuminum, from Greek kyminon, cognate with Hebrew kammon, Arabic kammun. Related: Cumic.

cum laude

1872, originally at Harvard, from Medieval Latin, literally "with praise," from Latin cum "with" + laude, ablative of laus (genitive laudis) "praise" (see laud). Probably from earlier use (in Latin) at Heidelberg and other German universities.

cummerbund (n.)

"large, loose sash worn as a belt," 1610s, from Hindi kamarband "loin band," from Persian kamar "waist" + band "something that ties," from Avestan banda- "bond, fetter," from PIE root *bhendh- "to bind."

cummin (n.)

alternative spelling of cumin.

cumulative (adj.)

c. 1600, "formed by adding to, increasing inorganically" (a sense now obsolete), from Latin cumulatus, past participle of cumulare "to heap," from cumulus "heap" (from suffixed form of PIE root *keue- "to swell") + -ive. Meaning "increasing by successive additions" is from 1640s (implied in cumulatively).

cumulation (n.)

1610s, "act of heaping together;" 1620s, "a heap, that which is piled up," noun of action from cumulate.

cumulate (v.)

1530s, "gather into a heap or mass" (transitive), from Latin cumulatus "heaped, increased, augmented," past participle of cumulare "to heap," from cumulus "mound, heap" (from suffixed form of PIE root *keue- "to swell"). Related: Cumulated; cumulating; cumulant.

cumulous (adj.)

in reference to clouds, "of the nature of cumulus clouds," 1815, see cumulo- + -ous.

cumulo- (n.)

word-forming element meaning "like or of the nature of cumulus clouds," 1887, from cumulus. Cumulo-stratus is from 1803; Cumulo-nimbus is attested by 1859.

cumulus (n.)

1650s, "a heap," from Latin cumulus "a heap, pile, mass, surplus," from PIE *ku-m-olo-, suffixed shortened form of root *keue- "to swell." Meteorological use for "rounded mass of clouds, snowy white at the top with a darker, horizontal base" is attested by 1803.

cunning (adj.)

early 14c., conning, "learned, skillful, possessing knowledge," present participle of connen, cunnen "to know," from Old English cunnan (see can (v.1)), from PIE root *gno- "to know." Also compare cun (v.). Sense of "skillfully deceitful, characterized by crafty ingenuity" is probably by late 14c. Related: Cunningly.

cun (v.)

"to learn to know, inquire into," from Old English cunnian "to learn to know," ultimately from the same ancient root as can (v.1) and compare con (v.3). Surviving into 17c. and perhaps later in dialects. Also compare cunning.

cunning (n.)

c. 1300, conninge, "knowledge, understanding, information, learning," a sense now obsolete, verbal noun from connen, cunnen "to have ability or capacity," from Old English cunnan (see can v.1). By mid-14c. as "ability to understand, intelligence; wisdom, prudence;" sense of "cleverness, shrewdness, practical skill in a secret or crafty manner" is by late 14c.

Cunard

trans-Atlantic shipping line begun by Samuel Cunard (1787-1865), shipowner, of Halifax, Nova Scotia, who won the first British transatlantic steamship mail contract in 1839 and the next year formed the British and North American Royal Mail Steam-Packet Company (reorganized 1879 as Cunard Steamship Company).

The family came to Pennsylvania with Penn in 1683, where their descendants are the Conrads; the shipping magnate's line took an older spelling; his grandfather was a Loyalist who fled to Canada after the Revolution.

cunctator (n.)

"one who delays or lingers," 1650s, from Latin, agent noun from cunctari "to be slow, hesitate, delay action," from PIE *konk- "to hang" (source also of Hittite kank- "to hang, weigh," Sanskrit sankate "is afraid, fears," Gothic hahan "to leave in uncertainty," Old English hon "to hang," Old Norse hengja "to hang, suspend;" see hang (v.)). In Roman history the famous surname of dictator Q. Fabius Maximus. Related: Cunctation "delay," 1580s.

cuneate (adj.)

"wedge-shaped," 1810, from Latin cuneatus, past participle of cuneare "to make wedge-shaped," from cuneus "a wedge, wedge-shaped thing," which is of unknown origin. Related: Cuneately.

cuneiform (adj.)

1670s, "wedge-shaped," from French cunéiforme (16c.), from Latin cuneus "a wedge, wedge-shaped thing," which is of unknown origin, + French -forme (see form (n.)). German physician and traveler Engelbert Kämpfer (1681-1716) first applied the word to characters in ancient Middle Eastern inscriptions made with wedge-shaped writing tools; in English this sense is attested from 1818. As a noun, "cuneiform writing," by 1862.

cunnilingus (n.)

1884 (by 1845 in German, 1824 in medical Latin), from Latin cunnus "vulva, female pudenda" (also, vulgarly, "a woman") + lingere "to lick" (from PIE root *leigh- "to lick"). Latin cunnus is of disputed origin, perhaps literally "gash, slit," from PIE *sker- (1) "to cut," or [Watkins] literally "sheath," from PIE *kut-no-, from root *(s)keu- "to cover, conceal."

The Latin properly would mean "one who licks a vulva," but it is used in English in reference to the action. The verb ought to be *cunnilingue. As an agent-noun, Fletcher has lick-twat (1656). Gordon Williams ["A Dictionary of Sexual Language and Imagery in Shakespearean and Stuart Literature," 1994] writes that Nicolas Chorier's 17c. "Satyra Sotadica" "relates how Gonsalvo of Cordova, as an old man, would lick his mistress's middle parts, which he called, with a geographical pun, going to Liguria" (from Latin ligurio "to lick").

Dutch slang has a useful noun, de befborstel, to refer to the mustache specifically as a tool for stimulating the clitoris; probably from beffen "to stimulate the clitoris with the tongue."

cunt (n.)

"female intercrural foramen," or, as some 18c. writers refer to it, "the monosyllable," Middle English cunte "female genitalia," by early 14c. (in Hendyng's "Proverbs" — ʒeve þi cunte to cunni[n]g, And crave affetir wedding), akin to Old Norse kunta, Old Frisian, Middle Dutch, and Middle Low German kunte, from Proto-Germanic *kunton, which is of uncertain origin. Some suggest a link with Latin cuneus "wedge" (which is of unknown origin), others to PIE root *geu- "hollow place," still others to PIE root *gwen- "woman."

The form is similar to Latin cunnus "female pudenda" (also, vulgarly, "a woman"), which is likewise of disputed origin, perhaps literally "gash, slit" (from PIE *sker- "to cut") or "sheath" (Watkins, from PIE *(s)keu- "to conceal, hide"). De Vaan rejects this, however, and traces it to "a root *kut- meaning 'bag', 'scrotum', and metaphorically also 'female pudenda,' " source also of Greek kysthos "vagina; buttocks; pouch, small bag" (but Beekes suspects this is a Pre-Greek word), Lithuanian kutys "(money) bag," Old High German hodo "testicles."

First known reference in English apparently is in a compound, Oxford street name Gropecuntlane cited from c. 1230 (and attested through late 14c.) in "Place-Names of Oxfordshire" (Gelling & Stenton, 1953), presumably a haunt of prostitutes. Used in medical writing c. 1400, but avoided in public speech since 15c.; considered obscene since 17c.

in Middle English also conte, counte, and sometimes queinte, queynte (for this, see Q). Chaucer used quaint and queynte in "Canterbury Tales" (late 14c.), and Andrew Marvell might be punning on quaint in "To His Coy Mistress" (1650).

Under "MONOSYLLABLE" Farmer lists 552 synonyms from English slang and literature before launching into another 5 pages of them in French, German, Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese. [A sampling: Botany Bay, chum, coffee-shop, cookie, End of the Sentimental Journey, fancy bit, Fumbler's Hall, funniment, goatmilker, heaven, hell, Itching Jenny, jelly-bag, Low Countries, nature's tufted treasure, penwiper, prick-skinner, seminary, tickle-toby, undeniable, wonderful lamp, and aphrodisaical tennis court, and, in a separate listing, Naggie.] Dutch cognate de kont means "a bottom, an arse," but Dutch also has attractive poetic slang ways of expressing this part, such as liefdesgrot, literally "cave of love," and vleesroos "rose of flesh."

Alternative form cunny is attested from c. 1720 but is certainly much earlier and forced a change in the pronunciation of coney (q.v.), but it was good for a pun while coney was still the common word for "rabbit": "A pox upon your Christian cockatrices! They cry, like poulterers' wives, 'No money, no coney.' " [Philip Massinger: "The Virgin-Martyr," Act I, Scene 1, 1622]

cupful (n.)

"quantity that a cup holds, contents of a cup," late Old English, from cup (n.) + -ful.

cup (n.)

"small vessel used to contain liquids generally; drinking vessel," Old English cuppe, Old Northumbrian copp, from Late Latin cuppa "cup" (source of Italian coppa, Spanish copa, Old French coupe "cup"), from Latin cupa "tub, cask, tun, barrel," which is thought to be cognate with Sanskrit kupah "hollow, pit, cave," Greek kype "gap, hole; a kind of ship," Old Church Slavonic kupu, Lithuanian kaupas "heap," Old Norse hufr "ship's hull," Old English hyf "beehive." De Vaan writes that all probably are from "a non-IE loanword *kup- which was borrowed by and from many languages."

The Late Latin word was borrowed throughout Germanic: Old Frisian kopp "cup, head," Middle Low German kopp "cup," Middle Dutch coppe, Dutch kopje "cup, head." German cognate Kopf now means exclusively "head" (compare French tête, from Latin testa "potsherd").

Used of any thing with the shape of a cup by c. 1400; sense of "quantity contained in a cup" is from late 14c. Meaning "part of a bra that holds a breast" is from 1938. Sense of "cup-shaped metal vessel offered as a prize in sport or games" is from 1640s. Sense of "suffering to be endured" (late 14c.) is a biblical image (Matthew xx.22, xxvi.39) on the notion of "something to be partaken of."

To be in one's cups "intoxicated" is from 1610s (Middle English had cup-shoten "drunk, drunken," mid-14c.). [One's] cup of tea "what interests one" is by 1932, earlier used of persons (1908), the sense being "what is invigorating." Cup-bearer "attendant at a feast who conveys wine or other liquor to guests" is from early 15c.

cup (v.)

late 14c., "to draw blood by means of cupping glasses," from cup (n.). Meaning "to form a cup" is from 1830. Related: Cupped; cupping.

cupping (n.)

1510s, "surgical operation to draw blood by means of a cupping-glass," verbal noun from cup (v.).

cupboard (n.)

late 14c., "a board or table to place cups and like objects," from cup (n.) + board (n.1). As a type of open or closed cabinet for food, etc., from early 16c.

cupcake (n.)

also cup-cake, "small cake designed to serve one person," 1828, American English, from cup (n.) + cake (n.), probably from the cups they are baked in, but possibly from the small measures of ingredients used to make them. Meaning "attractive young woman" is recorded from 1930s, American English.

cupidity (n.)

"eager desire to possess something," mid-15c., from Anglo-French cupidite and directly from Latin cupiditatem (nominative cupiditas) "passionate desire, lust; ambition," from cupidus "eager, passionate," from cupere "to desire." This is perhaps from a PIE root *kup-(e)i- "to tremble; to desire," and cognate with Sanskrit kupyati "bubbles up, becomes agitated;" Old Church Slavonic kypeti "to boil;" Lithuanian kupėti "to boil over;" Old Irish accobor "desire."

Despite the primarily erotic sense of the Latin word, in English cupidity originally, and still especially, means "desire for wealth."

Cupid

Roman god of passionate love, late 14c., from Latin Cupido, personification of cupido "desire, love, passion," from cupere "to desire" (see cupidity). Identified with Greek Eros. Cupid's bow as a shape, especially of lips, is from 1858.

cupola (n.)

in architecture, a type of vault or small dome, 1540s, from Italian cupola, from Late Latin cupula "a little tub," diminutive of Latin cupa "cask, barrel" (see cup (n.)). Hence "the rounded top of any structure."

cuppa (n.)

colloquial shortening of cup of (coffee, etc.), recorded from 1925; as a stand-alone (almost always with implied tea) it dates from 1934.

cupreous (adj.)

1660s, "consisting of or containing copper," from Late Latin cupreus "of copper," from cuprum, alternative form of cyprum "copper" (see copper (n.1)). Meaning "copper-colored" is by 1804. Related: Cupric (1799).

cupule (n.)

"small cup-shaped depression or object," 1830, from Modern Latin cupula, diminutive of Latin cupa "cask, barrel" (see cup (n.)).

curative (adj.)

early 15c., "pertaining to curing; having the power to heal," from Old French curatif (15c.) "curative, healing" and directly from Latin curat-, past-participle stem of curare "to cure" (see cure (v.)). As a noun, "something that has power to heal, a remedy," by 1857.

cur (n.)

c. 1200, curre, a term, usually depreciatory, for a dog, earlier kurdogge; used of vicious dogs and cowardly dogs, mastiffs and terriers, probably from Old Norse kurra or Middle Low German korren both meaning "to growl" and echoic of a growling dog. Compare Swedish dialectal kurre, Middle Dutch corre "house dog." Meaning "surly, low-bred man" is from 1580s.

curable (adj.)

"capable of being healed or cured," late 14c., a native formation from cure (v.) + -able, or else from Old French curable (13c.) and directly from Late Latin curabilis, from Latin curare. Related: Curably; curability; curableness.

Curacao

West Indian island, Curaçao, discovered 1499 by Alonso de Hojeda, who called it Isla de los Gigantes in reference to the stature of the natives. The modern name probably is a Europeanized version of a lost native word. The liqueur (1813) is made from the dried peel of the Curaçao orange.

curacy (n.)

"the office of a curate," mid-15c.; see curate + -cy.

curare (n.)

formerly also curari, curara, resinous plant substance used by South American natives for poisoning their arrows, later used medicinally as a muscle relaxant, 1777, from Portuguese or Spanish curare, a corruption of the name in the Carib language of the Macusi Indians of Guyana, wurali or wurari, which had a sort of click sound at the beginning, and is said to mean "he to whom it comes falls" (when introduced into the blood the effect is almost instantly fatal).

curate (n.)

late 14c., "spiritual guide, ecclesiastic responsible for the spiritual welfare of those in his charge; parish priest," from Medieval Latin curatus "one responsible for the care (of souls)," from Latin curatus, past participle of curare "to take care of" (see cure (v.)). Church of England sense of "paid deputy priest of a parish" first recorded 1550s.

curator (n.)

"a guardian; one who has care or superintendence of something," late 14c., curatour "a parish priest," from Latin curator "overseer, manager, guardian," agent noun from curatus, past participle of curare (see cure (v.)). From early 15c. in reference to those put in charge of minors, lunatics, etc.; meaning "officer in charge of a museum, library, etc." is from 1660s. Related: Curatorship.

curation (n.)

late 14c., curacioun, "curing of disease, restoration to health," from Old French curacion "treatment of illness," from Latin curationem (nominative curatio), "a taking care, attention, management," especially "medical attention," noun of action from past-participle stem of curare "to cure" (see cure (v.)). From 1769 as "management, guardianship."

curate (v.)

"be in charge of, manage" a museum, gallery, art exhibit, etc., by 1979 (implied in curated), a back-formation from curator or curation. Related: Curating. An earlier verb, curatize (1801) meant "be a (church) curate."

curb (v.)

1520s, of horses, "to lead to a curb," from curb (n.). Figurative sense of "bend to one's will, hold in check" is from 1580s. Related: Curbed; curbing.

curb (n.)

late 15c., "strap passing under the jaw of a horse" (attached to the bit of the bridle and used to restrain the animal), from Old French courbe "curb on a horse" (12c.), from Latin curvus, from curvare "to bend," from PIE root *sker- (2) "to turn, bend." The same word was used late 14c. in the sense of "a hump," and in Anglo-Latin as "curved or arched piece of timber" (late 13c.).

Meaning "enclosed framework" is from 1510s, probably originally with a notion of "curved;" extended to margins of garden beds by 1731; to "margin of joined, upright stones between a sidewalk and road" by 1791 (sometimes in this sense spelled kerb). Figurative sense of "a check, a restraint, that which holds back" is from 1610s.

curbstone (n.)

also curb-stone, "stone placed against earthwork, etc., to keep it from spreading, one of the stones set together at the outer edge of a street or sidewalk," by 1775, from curb (n.) + stone (n.).

curcumin (n.)

coloring matter of turmeric, 1838 (by 1805 in German), from Curcuma, genus name for plants of the ginger family, from which the chemical was drawn, Medieval Latin, from Arabic kurkum "saffron, turmeric." Compare crocus.

curd (n.)

"coagulated or thickened part of milk," c. 1500, metathesis of crud (late 14c.), which originally was "any coagulated substance," probably from Old English crudan "to press, drive," perhaps via ancestor of Gaelic gruth (because cognates are unknown in other Germanic or Romance languages) from a PIE *greut- "to press, coagulate."

curdle (v.)

1630s (earlier crudle, 1580s), "to thicken, cause to congeal, change or form into curd" (transitive), frequentative of curd (v.) "to make into curd" (late 14c., from the noun; see curd). Intransitive sense of "to coagulate, thicken" is from c. 1600. To curdle (one's) blood, in the figurative sense of "inspire horror" is from c. 1600. Related: Curdled (1580s); curdling (1690s, almost always of blood and in the figurative sense).

cure (n.1)

c. 1300, "care, heed," from Latin cura "care, concern, trouble," with many figurative extensions over time such as "study; administration; office of a parish priest; a mistress," and also "means of healing, successful remedial treatment of a disease" (late 14c.), from Old Latin coira-, a noun of unknown origin. Meaning "medical care" is late 14c.

cure (n.2)

"parish priest in France or a French country," from French curé (13c.), from Medieval Latin curatus "one responsible for the care (of souls)," from Latin curatus, past participle of curare "to take care of" (see cure (v.) ). Also compare curate (n.).

cure (v.)

late 14c., "to restore to health or a sound state," from Old French curer and directly from Latin curare "take care of," hence, in medical language, "treat medically, cure" (see cure (n.1)). In reference to fish, pork, etc., "prepare for preservation by drying, salting, etc.," attested by 1743. Related: Cured; curing.

Most words for "cure, heal" in European languages originally applied to the person being treated but now can be used with reference to the disease. Relatively few show an ancient connection to words for "physician;" typically they are connected instead to words for "make whole" or "tend to" or even "conjurer." French guérir (with Italian guarir, Old Spanish guarir) is from a Germanic verb stem also found in in Gothic warjan, Old English wearian "ward off, prevent, defend" (see warrant (n.)).

cure-all (n.)

1835, "panacea, remedy for all kinds of diseases," from cure (v.) + all. As a name of various plants, it is attested from 1793. Compare heal-all, panacea.

Curetes

from Latin Curetes, from Greek Kouretes, plural of Koures, literally "youthful," related to koros "youth, child," male form of korē "maiden," from PIE *korwo- "growing" (hence "adolescent"), from suffixed form of root *ker- (2) "to grow."

curette (n.)

small surgical instrument for smoothing or scraping away, 1753, from French curette "a scoop, scraper" (15c.), from curer "to clear, cleanse" (from Latin curare; see cure (v.)) + -ette (see -ette).

curettage (n.)

"application of the curette," 1890, probably from French curettage (by 1881); see curette + -age.

curfew (n.)

early 14c., curfeu, "evening signal, ringing of a bell at a fixed hour" as a signal to extinguish fires and lights, from Anglo-French coeverfu (late 13c.), from Old French cuevrefeu, literally "cover fire" (Modern French couvre-feu), from cuevre, imperative of covrir "to cover" (see cover (v.)) + feu "fire" (see focus (n.)). Related: Curfew-bell (early 14c.).

The medieval practice of ringing a bell (usually at 8 or 9 p.m.) as an order to bank the hearths and prepare for sleep was to prevent conflagrations from untended fires. The modern extended sense of "periodic restriction of movement" had evolved by 1800s.

curfuffle (n.)

"state of being disordered or ruffled," hence "agitation, perturbation," 1813 (carfuffle), first attested in Scottish writers, from a verb meaning "to disorder, dishevel" (1580s), of obscure origin, probably from a dialect word based on Scottish verb fuffle "to throw into disorder" (1530s). The first element is perhaps as in kersplash, etc. (see ker-); OED points rather to a Gaelic car "twist, bend, turn about".

curie (n.)

"unit of radioactivity," 1910, named for French physicist Pierre Curie (1859-1906), who, with his wife, Marie (1867-1934), discovered radium. The family name in Old French means "kitchen."

curia (n.)

c. 1600, one of the ten divisions of each of the three ancient Roman tribes; also "the Senate-house of Rome," from Latin curia "court," perhaps from *co-wiria "community of men" (from PIE root *wi-ro- "man"). The sense was transferred to the papal court (by 1825). Related: Curial.

curio (n.)

1851, "piece of bric-a-brac from the Far East," a shortening of curiosity (n.) in the "object of interest" sense (1640s). Extended by 1890s to rare or interesting bric-a-brac from anywhere.

Curioso (1650s) was a 17c.-18c. word for "one who is curious" (about science, art, etc.) also "one who admires or collects curiosities," from Italian curioso "curious person."

curiosity (n.)

late 14c., "careful attention to detail" (a sense now obsolete); also "skilled workmanship;" also "desire to know or learn, inquisitiveness" (in Middle English usually in bad senses: "prying; idle or vain interest in worldly affairs; sophistry; fastidiousness"); from Old French curiosete "curiosity, avidity, choosiness" (Modern French curiosité), from Latin curiositatem (nominative curiositas) "desire of knowledge, inquisitiveness," from curiosus "careful, diligent; inquiring eagerly, meddlesome," akin to cura "care" (see cure (n.)).

Neutral or good sense "desire to see or learn what is strange or unknown" is from early 17c. Meaning "an object of interest, something rare or strange" is from 1640s. Curiosity-shop is from 1818.

curious (adj.)

mid-14c., "subtle, sophisticated;" late 14c., "eager to know, inquisitive, desirous of seeing" (often in a bad sense), also "wrought with or requiring care and art;" from Old French curios "solicitous, anxious, inquisitive; odd, strange" (Modern French curieux) and directly from Latin curiosus "careful, diligent; inquiring eagerly, meddlesome," akin to cura "care" (see cure (n.)).

The objective sense of "exciting curiosity" is by 1715 in English. In booksellers' catalogues, the word was a euphemism for "erotic, pornographic" (1877); such material was called curiosa (1883), the Latin neuter plural of curiosus. Related: Curiously; curiousness. Curiouser and curiouser is from "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" (1865).

curium (n.)

artificial highly radioactive metallic element, 1946, named by U.S. chemist Glenn T. Seaborg, who helped discover it in 1944, for the Curies (see curie). With metallic element ending -ium.

curl (n.)

c. 1600, "a ringlet of hair;" by 1610s in reference to anything of similar spiral or undulating form; from curl (v.). Surfer slang for "curved top of a breaking wave" is by 1962.

curling (n.)

"action of turning, bending, or forming into ringlets," mid-15c., verbal noun from curl (v.). Curling-iron "rod of iron to be used hot for curling the hair" is from 1630s.

The game played with stones on ice, originally Scottish, is so-called by 1610s, but the sense connection is obscure. "The name appears to describe the motion given to the stone" [OED]. Evidence of the sport dates to the early 16c. in Scotland; written accounts of the game date to the 1540s. A similar game is described from c. 1600 in Flanders.

curl (v.)

late 14c. (implied in curled), "turn, bend, form in ringlets" (transitive), a metathesized formation corresponding to the Middle English adjective crull, crulle (c. 1300), which is probably from an unrecorded Old English word or from Middle Dutch krul "curly," from Proto-Germanic *krusl- (source also of East Frisian krull "lock of hair," Middle High German krol, Norwegian krull, Danish krølle "curl").

Intransitive sense of "take the form of a curl, assume a spiral shape" is from 1520s (originally of hair). Meaning "to play at curling" is from 1715. Related: Curled; curling.

curler (n.)

1748, "one who or that which curls," agent noun from curl (v.). As "a cylinder for curling the hair," 1887. As "one who plays at curling," 1630s. Related: Curlers.

curlew (n.)

"type of grallatorial bird with a long, slender, curved bill," mid-14c., curlu, from Old French courlieu (13c., Modern French courlis), said to be imitative of the bird's cry but apparently assimilated with corliu "runner, messenger," from corre "to run," (from Latin currere "to run, move quickly," from PIE root *kers- "to run"). The bird is a good runner. In Middle English the word sometimes also meant "quail," especially in Bible translations.