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Origin and history of compere

compere(n.)

1738, from French compère "a godfather" in relation to the godmother or biological father, hence, as a friendly greeting, "friend, fellow," from Old French compere (13c.), from Medieval Latin compater (see compadre, and compare compeer, gossip). In vaudeville and other entertainment, "master of ceremonies, organizer of a show" (1914).

also from 1738

Entries linking to compere

compadre(n.)

"companion," 1834, American English, from Spanish compadre "godfather," hence "benefactor, friend," from Medieval Latin compater, from com "with, together" (see com-) + pater "father" (see father (n.). Compare compere, compeer, also gossip (n.).

compeer(n.)

"one who is the peer or equal of another," also "a close friend, companion," late 14c., from Old French compere, an appellation of friendly greeting, "friend, brother," from com- "with" (see com-) + second element from Latin parem "equal" (see par (n.)).

gossip(n.)

Old English godsibb "sponsor, godparent," from God + sibb "relative" (see sibling). The sense was extended in Middle English to "a familiar acquaintance, a friend, neighbor" (c. 1300), especially to women friends invited to attend a birth, later to "anyone engaging in familiar or idle talk" (1560s).

The sense was further extended by 1811 to "trifling talk, groundless rumor." Similar formations are found in Old Norse guðsifja, Old Saxon guþziff.

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    compare
    compare (1620s, with similar phrasing to 1530s) it might be altered by folk etymology from compeer "rival" (with-outen compere...
    host
    "person who receives guests," especially for pay, late 13c., from Old French oste, hoste "guest, host, hostess, landlord" (12c., Modern French hôte), from Latin hospitem (nominative hospes) "guest, stranger, sojourner, visitor (hence also 'foreigner')," also "host; one bound by t
    regulate
    early 15c., regulaten, "adjust by rule, method, or control," from Late Latin regulatus, past participle of regulare "to control by rule, direct," from Latin regula "rule, straight piece of wood" (from PIE root *reg- "move in a straight line," with derivatives meaning "to direct i
    retribution
    late 14c., retribucioun, "repayment," from Old French retribution, retribucion, and directly from Latin retributionem (nominative retributio) "recompense, repayment," noun of action from past-participle stem of retribuere "hand back, repay," from re- "back" (see re-) + tribuere "
    crush
    mid-14c., "smash, shatter, break into fragments or small particles; force down and bruise by heavy weight," also figuratively, "overpower, subdue," from Old French cruissir (Modern French écraser), variant of croissir "to gnash (teeth), crash, smash, break," which is perhaps from
    debate
    late 14c., "to quarrel, dispute," also "to combat, fight, make war" (senses now archaic), also "discuss, deliberate upon the pros and cons of," from Old French debatre (13c., Modern French débattre), originally "to fight," from de- "down, completely" (see de-) + batre "to beat,"
    jumbo
    "very large, unusually large for its type," 1882, a reference to Jumbo, name of the London Zoo's huge elephant (acquired from France, said to have been captured as a baby in Abyssinia in 1861), sold February 1882 to U.S. circus showman P.T. Barnum amid great excitement in America
    coincidence
    c. 1600, "exact correspondence in substance or nature," from French coincidence, from coincider, from Medieval Latin coincidere, literally "to fall upon together," from assimilated form of  Latin com "with, together" (see com-) + incidere "to fall upon" (from in- "upon" + co
    look
    Old English locian "use the eyes for seeing, gaze, look, behold, spy," from West Germanic *lokjan (source also of Old Saxon lokon "see, look, spy," Middle Dutch loeken "to look," Old High German luogen, German dialectal lugen "to look out"), a word of unknown origin. Breton lagud
    loop
    late 14c., "a fold or doubling of cloth, rope, leather, cord, etc.," of uncertain origin. OED favors a Celtic origin (compare Gaelic lub "bend," Irish lubiam), which in English was perhaps influenced by or blended with Old Norse hlaup "a leap, run" (see leap (v.)). As a feature o

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