English
compromise
Compromise comes from Late Latin compromissum ‘a compromise, originally a mutual promise to…’, and goes back to Proto-Indo-European *mey-.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*mey-root as named
- Late Latinc. 200–600 CEcompromissum‘a compromise, originally a mutual promise to refer to arbitration’
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600compromis
- Englishearliest quotation 1595compromise
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*mey-root as named
- Late Latinc. 200–600 CEcompromissum‘a compromise, originally a mutual promise to refer to arbitration’
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600compromis
- Englishearliest quotation 1595compromise
Earliest quotation: 1595, The Life and Death of King Richard the Second: “But basely yielded upon compromise / That which his…”
The story
From Middle French compromis, from Medieval Latin, Late Latin compromissum (‘a compromise, originally a mutual promise to refer to arbitration’), prop. neuter of Latin compromissus, past participle of compromittere (‘to make a mutual promise to abide by the decision of an arbiter’), from com- (‘together’) + promittere (‘to promise’); see promise.
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *mey-
mean, met, community, common, minute, minister, mess, meal, communication, minor, commission, ministry, menu, mutual, min, immune, mere, communicate, ammunition, immunity, communist, minus, missile, commit, municipality, mole, mural, dismiss, ammo, mayhem, noodle, communal, communism, moor, communion, remuneration, intermittent, premise, commune, mite, 79 more
Today it means
noun The settlement of differences by arbitration or by consent reached by mutual concessions.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *mey- / compromise