English
commandant
Commandant comes from French commandant ‘commander (function)’, from commander ‘to order’, and ultimately from Proto-Italic *manus ‘hand’.
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*manus‘hand’reconstructed
- Proto-Italic, derivedc. 1500–700 BCE*manuðō‘to hand over’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEmandō‘to order, command, enjoin’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEcommendō‘to commend, entrust to, commit’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEcommandāre
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400comander‘to command, to implore’
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600commander‘to command’
- Frenchc. 1600–presentsame form‘to order’
- French, derivedc. 1600–presentcommandant‘commander (function)’
- Englishtodaysame form
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Earlier history uncertain.
Lineage
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*manus‘hand’reconstructed
- Proto-Italic, derivedc. 1500–700 BCE*manuðō‘to hand over’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEmandō‘to order, command, enjoin’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEcommendō‘to commend, entrust to, commit’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEcommandāre
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400comander‘to command, to implore’
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600commander‘to command’
- Frenchc. 1600–presentsame form‘to order’
- French, derivedc. 1600–presentcommandant‘commander (function)’
- Englishtodaysame form
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *(s)meh₂- ‘to beckon, signal’
amaze, mannered, mastiff, 32 more
through Proto-Italic *manus ‘hand’
main, manner, manage, manual, manga, manifest, mano, manus, manacles, 31 more
through Latin mandō ‘to order, command, enjoin’
mandatory, mandate, manger, commendation, mandible, mange, mandibular, 14 more
through Latin commendō ‘to commend, entrust to, commit’
through Old French comander ‘to command, to implore’
Today it means
noun A commanding officer, usually of a specific force or division.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Italic *manus / commandant