English
compatible
Compatible comes from Medieval Latin compatibilis ‘in compatibile beneficium, a benefice which…’, from Late Latin compator ‘to suffer with’, and ultimately from patior.
- Late Latinc. 200–600 CEpatioras pati‘to suffer’
- Late Latin, derivedc. 200–600 CEcompator‘to suffer with’
- Medieval Latinc. 600–1500compatibilis‘in compatibile beneficium, a benefice which could be held together with another one’
- Anglo-Normanc. 1066–1400compatible
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500same form
- Englishearliest quotation 1921same form
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Earlier history uncertain.
Lineage
- Late Latinc. 200–600 CEpatioras pati‘to suffer’
- Late Latin, derivedc. 200–600 CEcompator‘to suffer with’
- Medieval Latinc. 600–1500compatibilis‘in compatibile beneficium, a benefice which could be held together with another one’
- Anglo-Normanc. 1066–1400compatible
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500same form
- Englishearliest quotation 1921same form
Earliest quotation: 1921, Ben Travers, Garden City: “She was like a Beardsley Salome, he had said.…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *peh₁- ‘to hurt’
passive, passionate, repent, fend, penance, fiend, penitentiary, penitent, impatience, penitence, 8 more
through Proto-Italic *patos
through Late Latin patior ‘to suffer’
Today it means
adj Capable of working together without conflict.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Late Latin patior / compatible