Etymograph

English

copulate

Copulate comes from Latin cōpulātus ‘united, joined, coupled’, from cōpula ‘a tie, binding’, and ultimately from apiō ‘to join’.

  1. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEapiō‘to join’
  2. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEcōpula‘a tie, binding’
  3. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEcōpulō‘to couple, join, connect’
  4. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEcōpulātus‘united, joined, coupled’perfect passive participle of cōpulō
  5. Englishtodaycopulate

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Earlier history uncertain.

Lineage

  1. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEapiō‘to join’
  2. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEcōpula‘a tie, binding’
  3. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEcōpulō‘to couple, join, connect’
  4. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEcōpulātus‘united, joined, coupled’perfect passive participle of cōpulō
  5. Englishtodaycopulate

Linked words

through Proto-Italic *apjō

adaptation, 14 more

through Latin apiō ‘to join’

adapt, adept, couplet, 16 more

through Latin cōpula ‘a tie, binding’

couple, 5 more

through Latin cōpulō ‘to couple, join, connect’

coupling, 2 more

Another origin of copulate

  1. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*apjōuncertain
  2. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEapiō‘to join’
  3. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEcōpula‘a tie, binding’
  4. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEcōpulō‘to couple, join, connect’
  5. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEcōpulātus‘united, joined, coupled’perfect passive participle of cōpulō
  6. Englishtodaycopulate

Today it means

verb To engage in sexual intercourse.

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

Etymograph / Latin apiō / copulate

Shirt and support for this word