English
simulation
Simulation comes from Latin simulō ‘imitate’, 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‘imitate’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEsimulātiōnem
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400simulation
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600simulation
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500symulacioun‘dissembling, dishonesty, falsification’
- Englishearliest quotation 1625simulation
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‘imitate’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEsimulātiōnem
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400simulation
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600simulation
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500symulacioun‘dissembling, dishonesty, falsification’
- Englishearliest quotation 1625simulation
Earliest quotation: 1625, Francis Bacon, Of Simulation and Dissimulation: “For to him that opens himself, Men will hardly…”
Formed from simulate + -ion
Proto-Indo-European *sem- ‘together, one’
…
Proto-Italic *semalis ‘similiar’
Latin similis ‘like’
Latin simulō ‘make like, imitate, copy, represent, feign’
Latin simulātus ‘imitated, feigned, pretended, behaved or…’
English simulate
first attested First attested in 1340 as Middle English symulacioun, from Middle French simulation, from Old French simulation/simulacion, from Latin simulātiōnem, from simulō (“imitate”) (as stated in the etymology)
The story
First attested in 1340 as Middle English symulacioun, from Middle French simulation, from Old French simulation/simulacion, from Latin simulātiōnem, from simulō (‘imitate’).
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *sem- ‘together, one’
some, same, single, seem, simple, simply, soft, sam, sincerely, resemble, anomaly, resemblance, singular, sincerity, similarity, simultaneous, anomalous, synapse, homology, homeopathic, hyphen, assimilate, insincere, sempre, homolog, synchronise, 46 more
through Latin similis ‘like’
similar, simile, simulacrum, 21 more
through Latin simulō ‘imitate’
Today it means
noun Something that simulates a system or environment in order to predict actual behaviour.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *sem- / simulation