Consequence - Etymology, Origin & Meaning (original) (raw)
Origin and history of consequence
late 14c., "logical inference, conclusion," from Old French consequence "result" (13c., Modern French conséquence), from Latin consequentia, abstract noun from present-participle stem of consequi "to follow after," from assimilated form of com "with, together" (see con-) + sequi "to follow" (from PIE root *sekw- (1) "to follow").
Meaning "that which follows from or grows out of any act or course" is from c. 1400. Sense of "importance, significance" (1590s) is from notion of being "full of consequences."
Entries linking to consequence
see consequence. As the name of a round game, attested from 1796.
A game in which one player writes down an adjective, the second the name of a man, the third an adjective, the fourth the name of a woman, the fifth what he said, the sixth what she said, the seventh the consequence, etc., etc., no one seeing what the others have written. After all have written, the paper is read. [Century Dictionary]
"a thing which follows from a cause," 1610s, from a more precise sense in logic, "that which follows logically from a premise" (late 14c.; compare antecedent), a sense now in consequence. For etymology, see consequent (adj.). Mathematical sense is from 1560s.
More to explore
[mid-14c., "execution or completion (of an act)," from Old French efet (13c., Modern French effet) "result, execution, completion, ending," from Latin effectus "accomplishment, performance," from past participle stem of efficere "work out, accomplish," from assimilated form of ex ](/word/effect "mid-14c., "execution or completion (of an act)," from Old French efet (13c., Modern French effet) "result, execution, completion, ending," from Latin effectus "accomplishment, performance," from past participle stem of efficere "work out, accomplish," from assimilated form of ex ")
[c. 1400, "guardian of an entrance," from Anglo-French wardere, wardour "guardian, keeper, custodian" (Old French gardeor), agent noun from Old North French warder "to guard, keep, maintain, uphold" (Old French garder), from Frankish *wardon, from Proto-Germanic *wardon "to guard,](/word/warder "c. 1400, "guardian of an entrance," from Anglo-French wardere, wardour "guardian, keeper, custodian" (Old French gardeor), agent noun from Old North French warder "to guard, keep, maintain, uphold" (Old French garder), from Frankish *wardon, from Proto-Germanic *wardon "to guard,")
[mid-14c., "what one deserves, just desserts," from Anglo-French and Old North French reward, rouwart, back-formation from rewarder (see reward (v.)). The meaning "return or payment for service, hardship, etc.," also "something given in recognition of merit, virtue, etc., a prize"](/word/reward "mid-14c., "what one deserves, just desserts," from Anglo-French and Old North French reward, rouwart, back-formation from rewarder (see reward (v.)). The meaning "return or payment for service, hardship, etc.," also "something given in recognition of merit, virtue, etc., a prize"")
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