English
commandeer
Commandeer comes from Dutch commanderen ‘to command’, from French 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‘commit, intrust, enjoin’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEcommendoas commendare‘to commend, entrust to, commit’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400comander‘to command, to implore’
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600commander
- Frenchc. 1600–presentsame form‘to order’
- Afrikaansmodernkommandeer‘to command’
- Dutchc. 1500–presentcommanderen‘to command’
- Englishearliest quotation 2007commandeer
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‘commit, intrust, enjoin’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEcommendoas commendare‘to commend, entrust to, commit’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400comander‘to command, to implore’
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600commander
- Frenchc. 1600–presentsame form‘to order’
- Afrikaansmodernkommandeer‘to command’
- Dutchc. 1500–presentcommanderen‘to command’
- Englishearliest quotation 2007commandeer
Earliest quotation: 2007, Dan Shive, El Goonish Shive (webcomic): “We're stuck taking the bus to school tomorrow, aren't…”
first attested First attested in the late 19th century (as stated in the etymology)
The story
First attested in the late 19th century.
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *(s)meh₂- ‘to beckon, signal’
amaze, mannered, mastiff, 32 more
through Proto-Italic *manus ‘hand’
main, manage, manner, manual, manga, manifest, mano, manus, manacles, 31 more
through Latin mandō ‘commit, intrust, enjoin’
mandatory, mandate, commendation, manger, mandible, mange, mandibular, 14 more
through Latin commendo ‘to commend, entrust to, commit’
through Old French comander ‘to command, to implore’
Today it means
verb To seize for military use.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Italic *manus / commandeer