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Origin and history of determine

determine(v.)

late 14c., determinen, "to settle, decide upon; state definitely; fix the bounds of; limit in time or extent," also "come to a firm decision or definite intention" (to do something), from Old French determiner (12c.) and directly from Latin determinare "to enclose, bound, set limits to," from de "off" (see de-) + terminare "to mark the end or boundary," from terminus "end, limit" (see terminus).

Meaning "render judgment" is from early 15c. Sense of "give direction or tendency to" is from early 15c. Meaning "to find (as the solution of a problem)" is from 1640s. Related: Determined; determining; determiner.

also from late 14c.

Entries linking to determine

terminus(n.)

"goal, end, final point," 1610s, from Latin terminus (plural termini) "an end, a limit, boundary line." This is reconstructed to be from PIE *ter-men- "peg, post," from root *ter-, base of words meaning "peg, post; boundary, marker, goal" (source also of Sanskrit tarati "passes over, crosses over," tarantah "sea;" Hittite tarma- "peg, nail," tarmaizzi "he limits;" Greek terma "boundary, end-point, limit," termon "border;" Gothic þairh, Old English þurh "through;" Old English þyrel "hole;" Old Norse þrömr "edge, chip, splinter").

"The Hittite noun and the usage in Latin suggest that the PIE word denoted a concrete object which came to refer to a boundary-stone." [de Vaan]

In ancient Rome, Terminus was the name of the deity who presided over boundaries and landmarks, often represented in half-statues or busts, and the focus of the important Roman festival of Terminalia (held Feb. 23, the end of the old Roman year). The meaning "either end of a transportation line" originally of a railway, is by 1836.

determinate(adj.)

late 14c., "having defined limits, definite, defined, specific," from Latin determinatus, past participle of determinare "to enclose, bound, set limits to" (see determine). Also "fixed in mind" (mid-15c.).

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determination
mid-14c., determinacioun, "decision, sentence in a suit at law, definite or authoritative judicial settlement," from Old French déterminacion "determination, settlement, definition" (14c.) and directly from Medieval Latin determinationem (nominative determinatio) "conclusion, bou
determinism
1846, introduced by William Hamilton for "doctrine of the necessitarian philosophers" (who hold that human action is not free but necessarily determined by motives, regarded as external forces acting on the will or character of the person). See determine + -ism. Determinism does
settle
Middle English setlen, "become set or fixed, stable or permanent; seat, place in a seat; sink down, come down," from Old English setlan "place in a fixed or permanent position; cause to sit, place in a seat," from setl "a seat" (see settle (n.)). Compare German siedeln "to settle
define
by, describe in detail," from Old French defenir, definir "to finish, conclude, come to an end; bring to an end; define, determine...with precision," and directly from Medieval Latin diffinire, definire, from Latin definire "to limit, determine, explain...From c. 1400 as "determine, declare, or mark the limit of." Related: Defined; defining....
decide
late 14c., "to settle a dispute, determine a controversy," from Old French decider, from Latin decidere "to decide, determine...
conclude
Meanings "reach a mental determination, deduce; infer or determine by reason" are from late 14c., a sense also in Latin....Meaning "settle, arrange, determine finally" is from early 15c....
imprescriptible
assimilated form of in- (1) "not, opposite of" + Latin praescriptus, past participle of praescribere "to write beforehand, determine...
influence
late 14c., an astrological term, "streaming ethereal power from the stars when in certain positions, acting upon character or destiny of men," from Old French influence "emanation from the stars that acts upon one's character and destiny" (13c.), also "a flow of water, a flowing
sale
Middle English sale, from late Old English sala "a sale, act of selling," which according to OED probably is from a Scandinavian source such as Old Norse sala "sale," but in either case from Proto-Germanic *salo (source also of Old High German sala, Swedish salu, Danish salg), fr
seal
"design stamped on wax," especially an impressed figure attached to a document as evidence of authenticity, c. 1200, sel, sele, from Old French seel, seal "seal on a letter" (Modern French sceau), from Vulgar Latin *sigellum (source of Italian suggello, Spanish sello; also Old Fr

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