comprehension
/ˌkɒmprɪˈhɛnʃ(ə)n/
noun
Origin
Latin
comprehendere — to grasp, seize, or comprise
Overview
Meaning Now
- The capacity of the mind to understand or grasp the meaning of something.
- The act or state of including or containing something.
Literal older meaning
a seizing or grasping together
Language path
Latin → Middle French → Middle English → English
Earliest form
comprehensioun
Earliest period
14th century
Journey
The term stems from the Latin 'comprehendere', where the physical act of 'seizing' or 'grasping' (prehendere) was extended metaphorically to the intellect, representing the 'grasping' of a concept or body of knowledge.
Evolution
- Classical Latin
comprehensio
“a seizing, grasping, or collection”
- Middle French
compréhension
“understanding or containing”
- Middle English
comprehensioun
“grasping or mental capacity”
- Early Modern English
comprehension
“the mental act of grasping a concept”
Connections
Word parts
com-
prefix
together
prehend-
root
to grasp or seize
-ion
suffix
process or state
Related across languages
French
compréhension
understanding
Spanish
comprensión
understanding
Italian
comprensione
understanding
Related words
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Related to comprehension
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.