Advertisement

Origin and history of cursive

cursive(adj.)

in reference to writing in which the letters are joined and formed rapidly without lifting the pen or pencil, 1784, from French cursif (18c.), from Medieval Latin cursivus "running," from Latin cursus "a running," from past participle of currere "to run" (from PIE root *kers- "to run").

The notion is of "written with a running hand" (without raising the pen), originally as opposed to the older uncial hand. Greek cursive writing is attested from 160 B.C.E. An older name for it was joining-hand (1580s) because the successive letters of each word are joined. As a noun, "cursive letters or writing," by 1850. Related: Cursively.

also from 1784

Entries linking to cursive

uncial(adj.)

1640s, "pertaining to an inch or an ounce" (sense now obsolete), from Latin uncialis "of an inch, of an ounce," from uncia "a twelfth part" (see inch (n.1)).

In paleography it is attested from 1712 in reference to a type of majuscule writing characteristic of the period 4c.-9c., from Late Latin litterae unciales (Jerome), probably meaning "letters an inch high," that is, "large, handsome letters;" from Latin uncialis "of an inch, inch-high." As a noun, "an uncial letter," from 1775.

*kers-

Proto-Indo-European root meaning "to run."

It might form all or part of: car; career; cargo; caricature; cark; carpenter; carriage; carrier; carry; charabanc; charette; charge; chariot; concourse; concur; concurrent; corral; corridor; corsair; courant; courier; course; currency; current; curriculum; cursive; cursor; cursory; discharge; discourse; encharge; excursion; hussar; incur; intercourse; kraal; miscarry; occur; precursor; recourse; recur; succor.

It might also be the source of: Greek -khouros "running;" Latin currere "to run, move quickly;" Lithuanian karšiu, karšti "go quickly;"Old Irish and Middle Welsh carr "cart, wagon," Breton karr "chariot," Welsh carrog "torrent;" Old Norse horskr "swift."

    Advertisement

    More to explore

    Spencerian
    Spencer, the "Father of American Writing" (1800-1864), who c. 1840 began promoting an elliptical cursive style that became...
    italic
    English for the plain, sloping style of handwriting (opposed to gothic), and italic printing sometimes in English was called cursive...
    hand
    Old English hond, hand "the human hand;" also "side, part, direction" (in defining position, to either right or left); also "power, control, possession" (on the notion of the hand's grip or hold), from Proto-Germanic *handuz (source also of Old Saxon, Old Frisian, Dutch, German h
    handwriting
    also hand-writing, "writing with the hand; form of writing peculiar to a person," early 15c., from hand (n.) + writing, translating Latin manuscriptum and equivalent to Greek kheirographia. Earlier was simply hand (n.) "handwriting, style of writing;" and Old English had handgewr
    minuscule
    1705, "small (not capital) letter," from French minuscule (17c.), from Latin minuscula, in minuscula littera "slightly smaller letter," fem. of minusculus "rather less, rather small," diminutive of minus "less" (from PIE root *mei- (2) "small"). It refers to the kind of reduced a
    script
    late 14c., "something written, a written document," earlier scrite (c. 1300), from Anglo-French scrit, Old French escrit "piece of writing, written paper; credit note, IOU; deed, bond" (Modern French écrit) and directly from Latin scriptum "a writing, book; law; line, mark," noun
    running
    Old English ærning, "act of one who or that which runs, rapid motion on foot," verbal noun from run (v.). Of a ship, "the action of sailing," 1680s. Colloquial phrases in (or out) of the running "among (or not among) the lead competitors, competing (or not competing) in a race" (
    tribe
    mid-13c., "one of the twelve divisions of the ancient Hebrews," from Old French tribu or directly from Latin tribus "one of the three political/ethnic divisions of the original Roman state" (Tites, Ramnes, and Luceres, corresponding, perhaps, to the Latins, Sabines, and Etruscans
    juxtaposition
    "the act of placing or the state of being placed in nearness or contiguity," 1660s, from French juxtaposition (17c.), from Latin iuxta "beside, very near, close to, near at hand" + French position (see position (n.)). Latin iuxta is a contraction of *iugista (adv.), superlative o
    zeal
    "passionate ardor in pursuit of an objective or course of action," late 14c., from Old French zel (Modern French zèle) and directly from Late Latin zelus "zeal, emulation" (source also of Italian zelo, Spanish celo), a Church word, from Greek zēlos "ardor, eager rivalry, emulatio

    Share cursive

    Advertisement
    Trending
    Dictionary entries near cursive
    Advertisement