English
simulate
Simulate comes from Latin simulātus ‘imitated, feigned, pretended, behaved or acted…’, from similis ‘like’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *sem- ‘together, one’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*sem-‘together, one’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*sem-h₂-lo-reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*semalis‘similiar’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEsimilis‘like’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEsimulō‘make like, imitate, copy, represent, feign’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEsimulātus‘imitated, feigned, pretended, behaved or acted as if or as though’perfect passive participle of simulō
- Englishtodaysimulate
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*sem-‘together, one’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*sem-h₂-lo-reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*semalis‘similiar’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEsimilis‘like’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEsimulō‘make like, imitate, copy, represent, feign’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEsimulātus‘imitated, feigned, pretended, behaved or acted as if or as though’perfect passive participle of simulō
- Englishtodaysimulate
first attested First attested in 1652 (as stated in the etymology)
The story
First attested in 1652; Borrowed from Latin simulātus, perfect passive participle of simulō (‘make like, imitate, copy, represent, feign’) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), from similis (‘like’).
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *sem- ‘together, one’
some, same, single, seem, simple, simply, soft, sam, resemble, sincerely, anomaly, resemblance, singular, sincerity, similarity, anomalous, synapse, homology, homeopathic, hyphen, insincere, assimilate, sempre, synchronise, homolog, 48 more
through Latin similis ‘like’
through Latin simulō ‘make like, imitate, copy, represent, feign’
Today it means
verb To model, replicate, duplicate the behavior, appearance or properties of.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *sem- / simulate