English
agreement
Agreement comes from Middle English agrement, from Old French agrement; equivalent to agree + -ment.
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400agrement‘agreement’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500same form‘an understanding, agreement’
- Englishearliest quotation 1650agreement
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400agrement‘agreement’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500same form‘an understanding, agreement’
- Englishearliest quotation 1650agreement
Earliest quotation: 1650, John Donne: “Her nymph-like features such agreements have / That I…”
Formed from agree + -ment
Linked words
through Latin grātus ‘pleasing, acceptable, agreeable, welcome’
grace, gratitude, congratulate, gracious, grate, gratuitous, gratis, gracias, congratulation, 8 more
through Old French gré
Today it means
noun An understanding between entities to follow a specific course of conduct.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Old French agrement / agreement