English
pensive
Pensive comes from Old French pensif ‘thoughtful’, from penser ‘to think’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *(s)pend- ‘to stretch’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*(s)pend-‘to stretch’root as named
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEpēnsō‘to ponder, consider’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400penser‘to think’
- Old French, derivedc. 842–1400pensif‘thoughtful’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500same form
- Englishearliest quotation 1748pensive
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*(s)pend-‘to stretch’root as named
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEpēnsō‘to ponder, consider’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400penser‘to think’
- Old French, derivedc. 842–1400pensif‘thoughtful’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500same form
- Englishearliest quotation 1748pensive
Earliest quotation: 1748, David Hume, London: Oxford University Press: “Abstruse thought and profound researches I prohibit, and will…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *(s)pend- ‘to stretch’
spend, pound, span, depend, expense, expenditure, appendix, poise, pendant, perpendicular, penthouse, peso, compendium, pansy, expend, piso, append, 20 more
through Latin pēnsō ‘to ponder, consider’
compensation, compensate, compensatory, dispensation, recompense, 5 more
Today it means
adj Engaged in, involving, or reflecting deep or serious thought.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *(s)pend- / pensive