Advertisement

Origin and history of comprehend

comprehend(v.)

mid-14c., "to understand, take into the mind, grasp by understanding," late 14c., "to take in, include;" from Latin comprehendere "to take together, to unite; include; seize" (of catching fire or the arrest of criminals); also "to comprehend, perceive" (to seize or take in the mind), from com "with, together," here probably "completely" (see com-) + prehendere "to catch hold of, seize."

The (partial) range of senses in Latin prehendere was "to lay hold of, to grasp, snatch, seize, catch; occupy violently; take by surprise, catch in the act; to reach, arrive at;" of trees, "to take root;" of the mind, "to seize, apprehend, comprehend," though this last sense is marked "very rare" in Lewis & Short.

It is a compound of prae- "before" (see pre-) + -hendere, found only in compounds, from PIE root *ghend- "to seize, take." De Vaan regards the compound as Proto-Italic. Related: Comprehended; comprehending.

Compare the sense development in German begriefen, literally "to seize," but, through the writings of the 14c. mystics, "to seize with the mind, to comprehend."

comprehend

also from mid-14c.

Entries linking to comprehend

comprehendible(adj.)

1814, from comprehend + -ible. A rare native formation alongside the more usual comprehensible.

comprehensible(adj.)

1520s, "able to be contained," from Latin comprehensibilis, from comprehensus, past participle of comphrehendere (see comprehend). Meaning "able to be understood, capable of being conceived by the mind" is from c. 1600. Related: Comprehensibly; comprehensibility.

Advertisement

More to explore

understand
Old English understandan "to comprehend, grasp the idea of, receive from a word or words or from a sign the idea it is intended to convey; to view in a certain way," probably literally "stand in the midst of," from under + standan "to stand" (see stand (v.)). If this is the meani
*ghend-
also *ghed-, Proto-Indo-European root meaning "to seize, to take."  It forms all or part of: apprehend; apprentice; apprise; beget; comprehend; comprehension; comprehensive; comprise; depredate; depredation; emprise; enterprise; entrepreneur; forget; get; guess; impresario;
embrace
mid-14c., "clasp in the arms," from Old French embracier (12c., Modern French embrasser) "clasp in the arms, enclose; covet, handle, cope with," from assimilated form of en- "in" (see en- (1)) + brace, braz "the arms," from Latin bracchium (neuter plural brachia) "an arm, a forea
capable
receptive, fit for;" adjectival form of capere "to grasp, lay hold, take, catch; undertake; take in, hold; be large enough for; comprehend...Other late 16c. senses in English, now obsolete, were "able to comprehend; able to contain; extensive."...
apperceive
from Latin ad "to" (see ad-) + percipere "gather, seize entirely," also, figuratively, "to grasp with the mind, learn, comprehend...
cognition
mid-15c., cognicioun, "ability to comprehend, mental act or process of knowing," from Latin cognitionem (nominative cognitio...
comprehensive
comprehensivus, from comprehens-, past participle stem of Latin comprehendere "to take together, to unite; include; to comprehend...
pickup
also pick-up, "that which is picked up," 1848; see pick up (v.). As "act of picking up" from 1882. Meaning "capacity for acceleration" is from 1909; that of "recovery" is from 1916. In reference to a game between informal teams chosen on the spot, from 1905; as an adjective, "com
pick up
early 14c. as a verbal phrase, "lift and take with the fingers," from pick (v.) + up (adv.). From 1510s as "take or get casually, obtain or procure as opportunity offers." Meaning "take (a person found or overtaken) into a vehicle or vessel," is from 1690s, also, of persons, "mak
include
early 15c., "to shut (someone or something) in materially, enclose, imprison, confine," also "to have (something) as a constituent part," from Latin includere "to shut in, enclose, imprison, insert," from in- "in" (from PIE root *en "in") + claudere "to shut" (see close (v.)). Th

Share comprehend

Advertisement
Trending
Dictionary entries near comprehend
Advertisement