Etymograph

English

compulsion

Compulsion comes from Latin compellere ‘to compel, coerce’.

  1. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEcompellere‘to compel, coerce’
  2. Late Latinc. 200–600 CEcompulsiō
  3. Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600compulsion
  4. Englishearliest quotation 1941same form

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Earlier history not traced here.

Lineage

  1. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEcompellere‘to compel, coerce’
  2. Late Latinc. 200–600 CEcompulsiō
  3. Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600compulsion
  4. Englishearliest quotation 1941same form

Earliest quotation: 1941, Jubilee of the City Tube: “From the opening of the City & South London…”

Linked words

through Latin compellere ‘to compel, coerce’

compel, 2 more

Today it means

noun An irrational need or irresistible urge to perform some action, often despite negative consequences.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / Latin compellere / compulsion

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