Etymograph

English

imperfect

Imperfect comes from Latin imperfectus, from perficiō ‘to finish, complete’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁k-.

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*dʰeh₁k-reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*dʰh₁kyétireconstructed
  3. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*θakjōreconstructed
  4. Proto-Italic, derivedc. 1500–700 BCE*fakjō‘to make’reconstructed
  5. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEfaciō‘to make, construct, fashion, frame, build, erect’
  6. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEperficiō‘to finish, complete’
  7. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEperfectus
  8. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEimperfectus
  9. Old Frenchc. 842–1400imparfit
  10. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500imperfit
  11. Englishearliest quotation c. 1603–1606imperfect

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*dʰeh₁k-reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*dʰh₁kyétireconstructed
  3. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*θakjōreconstructed
  4. Proto-Italic, derivedc. 1500–700 BCE*fakjō‘to make’reconstructed
  5. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEfaciō‘to make, construct, fashion, frame, build, erect’
  6. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEperficiō‘to finish, complete’
  7. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEperfectus
  8. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEimperfectus
  9. Old Frenchc. 842–1400imparfit
  10. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500imperfit
  11. Englishearliest quotation c. 1603–1606imperfect

Earliest quotation: c. 1603–1606, William Shakespeare, The Tragedie of King Lear: “Why, then, your other senses grow imperfect.”

Formed from im- + perfect

Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁k-

…

Latin perficiō ‘to finish’

Latin perfectus ‘finished, complete’

Old French parfit

Middle English perfit

English perfect

The story

Spelling modified 15c. to conform Latin etymology.

Linked words

through Proto-Italic *θakjō

effectively, effectiveness, ineffective, affectionate, putrefaction, 65 more

through Proto-Italic *fakjō ‘to make’

factor, effective, difficulty, manufacture, interface, faction, affection, facet, affective, defection, deface, defector, effector, affectation, confectionary, 70 more

through Latin faciō ‘to make, construct, fashion, frame, build, erect’

face, fact, difficult, profit, feature, facility, effect, efficient, faculty, affair, sacrifice, facial, deficit, affect, facilitate, infection, feat, efficacy, facade, fetish, deficient, superficial, defect, counterfeit, façade, facsimile, infect, hacienda, maleficent, aficionado, efficacious, beautify, facies, difficile, parfait, confit, beneficent, confection, refectory, 85 more

through Latin perficiō ‘to finish, complete’

perfection, 1 more

through Latin perfectus

perfecto, 2 more

Today it means

adj Not perfect.

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

Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁k- / imperfect

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