English
acceptable
Acceptable comes from Late Latin acceptābilis ‘worthy of acceptance’, from Latin capiō ‘to take’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *kap-.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*kap-reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*kapyéti‘to be grasping’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*kapjō‘to take, seize’reconstructed
- Archaic Latinc. 700–75 BCEkapiō
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEcapiō‘to take’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEaccipiō‘to receive, accept, take’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEacceptō
- Late Latinc. 200–600 CEacceptābilis‘worthy of acceptance’
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600acceptable
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500same form‘Pleasant, agreeable’
- Englishearliest quotation 1811same form
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*kap-reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*kapyéti‘to be grasping’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*kapjō‘to take, seize’reconstructed
- Archaic Latinc. 700–75 BCEkapiō
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEcapiō‘to take’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEaccipiō‘to receive, accept, take’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEacceptō
- Late Latinc. 200–600 CEacceptābilis‘worthy of acceptance’
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600acceptable
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500same form‘Pleasant, agreeable’
- Englishearliest quotation 1811same form
Earliest quotation: 1811, Jane Austen, London: […] C[harles] Roworth: “'[…] The other day, as soon as we came…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *kap-
had, head, heavy, catch, capital, behavior, escape, captain, capacity, heavily, except, chapter, achieve, cape, chef, haven, occupation, chapel, behave, capitol, cattle, cabin, hawk, capita, captive, precipitation, chaplain, captivity, cad, mischief, conceive, mischievous, haves, capillary, chieftain, capo, conceivable, capa, precipitate, caddie, 139 more
through Proto-Indo-European *kapyéti ‘to be grasping’
through Proto-Italic *kapjō ‘to take, seize’
case, cashier, capsule, chassis, cassette, casket, cajon, kas, chasse, 28 more
through Archaic Latin kapiō
through Latin capiō ‘to take’
cash, receive, chase, cop, capture, recipe, capable, cable, recipient, reception, perception, anticipation, anticipate, caption, cater, deception, deceive, deceit, susceptible, deceptive, preoccupation, captor, captivate, receivable, sashay, perceptible, preceptor, 25 more
Today it means
adj Capable, worthy, or sure of being accepted or received with pleasure; welcome; gratifying; pleasing to a receiver.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *kap- / acceptable