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Origin and history of frequentative

frequentative(n.)

"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 frequent (adj.)). Frequentive is considered incorrect, because -ive adjectives are normally formed on the Latin past participle.

also from 1520s

Entries linking to frequentative

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.

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    bustle
    noisy and agitated way," 1570s (bustling "noisy or excited activity" is from early 15c.), of uncertain origin, perhaps a frequentative...Or it might be from busk (v.) via a 16c. frequentative form buskle. Related: Bustled; bustling; bustler....
    chant
    late 14c., "sing," from Old French chanter "to sing, celebrate" (12c.), from Latin cantare "to sing," originally a frequentative...The frequentative quality of the word was no longer felt in Latin, and by the time French emerged the word had entirely displaced...
    slumber
    mid-14c., slomberen, "doze, drowse, sleep lightly," an alteration of slumeren (mid-13c.), frequentative form of slumen "to...Frequentative on the notion of "intermittent light sleep." Of things, "be in a state of inactivity," by 1580s....
    premeditation
    past-participle stem of praemeditari "to consider beforehand," from prae "before" (see pre-) + meditari "to consider," from a frequentative...
    palpitation
    nominative palpitatio), noun of action from past-participle stem of palpitare "to throb, to flutter, to tremble, to quiver," frequentative...
    delight
    delight, sexual desire," from delitier "please greatly, charm," from Latin delectare "to allure, delight, charm, please," frequentative...
    pulsation
    past-participle stem of pulsare "to beat, strike, push against' hammer, keep hitting," figuratively "drive forth, disturb, disquiet," frequentative...
    verb
    "a word that asserts or declares; that part of speech of which the office is predication, and which, either alone or with various modifiers or adjuncts, combines with a subject to make a sentence" [Century Dictionary], late 14c., from Old French verbe "word; word of God; saying;
    apology
    early 15c., "defense, justification," from Late Latin apologia, from Greek apologia "a speech in defense," from apologeisthai "to speak in one's defense," from apologos "an account, story," from apo "away from, off" (see apo-) + logos "speech" (see Logos). In classical Greek, "a
    Saturday
    seventh or last day of the week, Old English sæterdæg, sæternesdæg, literally "day of the planet Saturn," from Sæternes (genitive of Sætern; see Saturn) + Old English dæg (see day). Partial loan-translation of Latin Saturni dies "Saturn's day" (compare Dutch Zaterdag, Old Frisian

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