English
modification
Modification comes from Latin modificātiō ‘a measuring’, from modificō ‘to limit, control, modify’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *med- ‘to measure’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*med-‘to measure’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*medos‘measure’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEmodus‘measure’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEmodificōas modificāre‘to limit, control, modify’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEmodificātiō‘a measuring’
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600modification
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500modificatioune
- Englishearliest quotation 1585modification
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*med-‘to measure’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*medos‘measure’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEmodus‘measure’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEmodificōas modificāre‘to limit, control, modify’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEmodificātiō‘a measuring’
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600modification
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500modificatioune
- Englishearliest quotation 1585modification
Earliest quotation: 1585, Treason Pretended against the King of Sc, London: […] Thomas Nelson: “Wherein his highnes commandement is, that a graue, wiſe,…”
Equivalent to modify + -ication
Latin modificari ‘to measure off, set bound to, moderate’
Latin modificare ‘to limit, control, regulate, deponent’
Middle French modifier
Middle English modifien
English modify
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *med- ‘to measure’
must, moderate, modest, blackmail, meditation, moderator, modernize, modality, mote, mete, modulate, commode, medicate, 22 more
through Proto-Italic *medos ‘measure’
medical, medicine, med, remedy, medication, medicinal, medic, meditate, molding, moulder, 10 more
through Latin modus ‘measure’
model, modern, mode, mud, mood, mold, module, commodity, mould, modal, modus, modulation, modulus, modicum, modulo, modifiable, 18 more
Today it means
noun The act of assessing and prescribing a payment, penalty, price, valuation, etc.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *med- / modification