English
expression
Expression comes from Late Latin expressiō ‘a pressing out’.
- Late Latinc. 200–600 CEexpressiōas expressiō‘a pressing out’
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600expression
- Englishearliest quotation 1849same form
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Late Latinc. 200–600 CEexpressiōas expressiō‘a pressing out’
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600expression
- Englishearliest quotation 1849same form
Earliest quotation: 1849, Great Britain. Committee on Education: “The number of children who could read with expression…”
Formed from express + -ion
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *pres- ‘to press’
first, frist, impressionable, impressionist, impressionism, 31 more
through Proto-Italic *pres-
pressure, impressive, depression, impression, impress, compression, oppression, suppression, depressive, compress, depress, repress, 34 more
through Latin premō ‘press’
press, pregnant, imprint, reprimand, imprimatur, 46 more
through Latin exprimō ‘to press (out)’
Today it means
noun The action of expressing thoughts, ideas, feelings, etc.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Late Latin expressiō / expression