Etymograph

English

cope

Cope comes from Old French coper ‘to strike, to cut’, from Vulgar Latin colaphus ‘a blow with the fist’, and ultimately from Ancient Greek κόλαφος.

  1. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEκόλαφος‘a buffet, a blow’
  2. Vulgar Latinc. 100–700 CEcolaphus‘a blow with the fist’
  3. Vulgar Latin, derivedc. 100–700 CE*colpusreconstructed
  4. Old Frenchc. 842–1400coper‘to strike, to cut’
  5. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500coupen
  6. Englishearliest quotation 1856cope

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor

Lineage

  1. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEκόλαφος‘a buffet, a blow’
  2. Vulgar Latinc. 100–700 CEcolaphus‘a blow with the fist’
  3. Vulgar Latin, derivedc. 100–700 CE*colpusreconstructed
  4. Old Frenchc. 842–1400coper‘to strike, to cut’
  5. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500coupen
  6. Englishearliest quotation 1856cope

Earliest quotation: 1856, John Henry Walsh: “the beak and talons should be closely coped”.

Linked words

through Vulgar Latin colaphus ‘a blow with the fist’

coppice

through Old French coper ‘to strike, to cut’

coupon, recoup, coupé, 3 more

through Middle English coupen

coup

Another origin of cope

  1. Medieval Latinc. 600–1500cappaas cāpa‘cape’
  2. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500cope‘a cape or cloak’
  3. Englishtodaycope

Today it means

verb To deal effectively with something, especially if difficult.

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

Etymograph / Ancient Greek κόλαφος / cope

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