English
assemblage
Assemblage comes from French assemblage ‘assemblage, gathering, assembly’, from Latin assimulō ‘to represent something that is not as real’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *sem-h₂-lo-.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*sem-h₂-lo-reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*semalis‘similiar’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEsimilis‘similar to, like, resembling, of the same kind, the same as’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEsimulō‘copy, imitate’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEassimulōas assimulāre‘to represent something that is not as real’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400asembler
- Frenchc. 1600–presentassembler‘to assemble’
- French, derivedc. 1600–presentassemblage‘assemblage, gathering, assembly’
- Englishearliest quotation 1749same form
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*sem-h₂-lo-reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*semalis‘similiar’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEsimilis‘similar to, like, resembling, of the same kind, the same as’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEsimulō‘copy, imitate’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEassimulōas assimulāre‘to represent something that is not as real’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400asembler
- Frenchc. 1600–presentassembler‘to assemble’
- French, derivedc. 1600–presentassemblage‘assemblage, gathering, assembly’
- Englishearliest quotation 1749same form
Earliest quotation: 1749, John Cleland, (Please specify the letter or volume): “But scarce was supper well over, before a change…”
Equivalent to assemble + -age
Proto-Indo-European *sem- ‘together, one’
…
Latin simulō ‘copy, imitate’
Medieval Latin assimulāre ‘to bring together’
Old French assembler ‘to assemble’
Middle English assemblen
English assemble
Linked words
through Latin similis ‘similar to, like, resembling, of the same…’
similar, simile, simulacrum, 21 more
through Latin simulō ‘copy, imitate’
Today it means
noun The process of assembling or bringing together.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *sem-h₂-lo- / assemblage