Advertisement

Origin and history of frequent

frequent(adj.)

mid-15c., "ample, profuse," from Old French frequent, or directly from Latin frequentem (nominative frequens) "often, regular, repeated; in great numbers, crowded, numerous, filled, full, populous," which is of uncertain origin. Watkins says probably from PIE *bhrekw- "to cram together," and compares Greek phrassein "to fence in," Latin farcire "to cram," But Beekes regards the connection to the Greek word as "quite uncertain." Meaning "common, usual" is from 1530s; that of "happening at short intervals, often recurring" is from c. 1600.

frequent(v.)

late 15c., "visit or associate with," from Old French frequenter "attend frequently; assemble, gather together," from Latin frequentare "visit regularly; do frequently, repeat; assemble in throngs," from frequentem (see frequent (adj.)). Meaning "visit often" is from 1550s. Related: Frequented; frequenter; frequenting.

also from late 15c.

Entries linking to frequent

frequence(n.)

1530s, "an assembling in large numbers," from French fréquence, from Latin frequentia "an assembling in great numbers" (see frequent). From c. 1600 as "frequent occurrence."

frequency(n.)

1550s, "state of being crowded" (now obsolete); 1640s, "fact of occurring often;" from Latin frequentia "an assembling in great numbers, a crowding; crowd, multitude, throng," from frequentem (see frequent). Sense in physics, "rate of recurrence," especially of a vibration, is from 1831. In radio electronics, frequency modulation (1922, abbreviated F.M.) as a system of broadcasting is distinguished from amplitude modulation (or A.M.).

Advertisement

More to explore

frequentative
"verb which expresses repetition of action," 1520s, from French fréquentatif, from Late Latin frequentativus "serving to denote the repetition of an act," from Latin frequentat-, past-participle stem of frequentare "visit regularly; do frequently, repeat," from frequentem (see fr
infrequency
1670s, fact of being infrequent," from Latin infrequentia "a small number, thinness, scantiness," abstract noun from infrequentem (nominative infrequens) "occurring seldom, unusual; not crowded, absent," from in- "not" (see in- (1)) + frequens (see frequent). Older in this sense
haunt
early 13c., "to practice habitually, busy oneself with, take part in," from Old French hanter "to frequent, visit regularly; have to do with, be familiar with; indulge in, cultivate" (12c.), of uncertain origin, perhaps from Old Norse heimta "bring home," from Proto-Germanic *hai
apothegm
The spelling apophthegm, restored by Johnson, is "now more frequent in England," according to OED (1989)....
conversation
conversacion "behavior, life, way of life, monastic life," and directly from Latin conversationem (nominative conversatio) "frequent...use, frequent abode in a place, intercourse, conversation," noun of action from past-participle stem of conversari "to live...
conversant
late 14c., "having frequent or customary intercourse," also "acquainted by familiar use or study," from Old French conversant...
cafe
Cafe society "people who frequent fashionable dining spots, night-clubs, etc." is from 1922....
boycott
1880, noun and verb, "to combine in refusing to have dealings with, and preventing or discouraging others from doing so, as punishment for political or other differences." From Irish Land League ostracism of Capt. Charles C. Boycott (1832-1897), land agent of Lough-Mask in County
posh
by 1914 (1903 as push), a word of uncertain origin, but there is no evidence for the common derivation from an acronym of port outward, starboard home, supposedly the shipboard accommodations of wealthy British traveling to India on the P & O Lines (to keep their cabins out o
shop
c. 1300, "booth or shed for trade or work," perhaps from Old English scoppa, a rare word of uncertain meaning, apparently related to scypen "cowshed," from Proto-Germanic *skoppan "small additional structure" (source also of Old High German scopf "building without walls, porch,"

Share frequent

Advertisement
Trending
Dictionary entries near frequent
Advertisement