English
consequence
Consequence comes from Latin consequentia ‘logical consequence’, from cōnsequēns ‘attending, accompanying, pursuing’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *sekʷ- ‘to follow’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*sekʷ-‘to follow’next step skipped: Latin cōnsequor
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEcōnsequēns‘attending, accompanying, pursuing’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEconsequentia‘logical consequence’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400consequence
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500same form
- Englishearliest quotation 1848same form
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*sekʷ-‘to follow’next step skipped: Latin cōnsequor
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEcōnsequēns‘attending, accompanying, pursuing’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEconsequentia‘logical consequence’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400consequence
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500same form
- Englishearliest quotation 1848same form
Earliest quotation: 1848, – 1850 December, William Makepeace Thackeray: “Thus young Pen, the only son of an estated…”
The story
While analysable as con- + sequence, its adjective form has a different origin.
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *sekʷ- ‘to follow’
see, say, social, saw, society, second, executive, suit, sight, associate, pursue, sue, execute, saga, prosecution, subsequent, consecutive, persecution, sect, sequel, intrinsic, executor, dissociation, sequential, persecute, extrinsic, dissociate, ensue, sequestration, seg, segue, sequester, sequitur, 36 more
Today it means
noun An effect; something that follows a cause as a result.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *sekʷ- / consequence