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Origin and history of commendable

commendable(adj.)

"capable of being praised," mid-14c., from Old French commendable and directly from Latin commendabilis "praiseworthy," from commendare "to praise, to commit to one's care" (see commend). Related: Commendably.

also from mid-14c.

Entries linking to commendable

commend(v.)

mid-14c., comenden, "praise, mention approvingly," from Latin commendare "to commit to the care or keeping (of someone), to entrust to; to commit to writing;" hence "to set off, render agreeable, praise," from com-, here perhaps an intensive prefix (see com-), + mandare "to commit to one's charge" (see mandate (n.)). A doublet of command.

Sense of "commit, deliver with confidence" in English is from late 14c. Meaning "bring to mind, send the greeting of" is from c. 1400. The "praise" sense is from the notion of "present as worthy of notice or regard;" also in some cases probably a shortening of recommend. Related: Commended; commending.

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    especially polite behavior) in social intercourse," late 14c., plural of manner in a specific sense of "proper behavior, commendable...
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    unlike the chivalrous contests of later days; the rival parties fought in groups, and it was considered not only fair but commendable...
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    c. 1300, propre, "adapted to some purpose, fit, apt; commendable, excellent" (sometimes ironic), from Old French propre "...
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    1797, contraction of and per se and, meaning "(the character) '&' by itself is 'and' " (a hybrid phrase, partly in Latin, partly in English). An earlier form of it was colloquial ampassy (1706). The distinction is to avoid confusion with & in such formations as &c., a
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    Old English sceal, Northumbrian scule "I owe/he owes, will have to, ought to, must" (infinitive sculan, past tense sceolde), from *skulanan, a common Germanic preterite-present verb (along with can, may, will), from Proto-Germanic *skul- (source also of Old Saxon sculan, Old Fris
    chess
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