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Origin and history of item

item(n.)

late 14c., originally an adverb, "moreover, in addition," from Latin item (adv.) "likewise, just so, moreover," probably from ita "thus," id "it" (see id) + adverbial ending -tem (compare idem "the same").

The Latin adverb was used to introduce a new fact or statement, and in French and English it was used before every article in an enumeration (such as an inventory or bill). This practice led to the noun sense "an article of any kind" (1570s). Meaning "detail of information" (especially in a newspaper) is from 1819; item "sexually linked unmarried couple" is 1970, probably from notion of being an item in the gossip columns.

also from late 14c.

Entries linking to item

id(n.)

1924, in Joan Riviere's translation of Freud's "Das Ich und das Es" (1923), from Latin id "it" (as a translation of German es "it" in Freud's title), used in psychoanalytical theory to denote the unconscious instinctual force. Latin id is from PIE pronominal stem *i- (see yon).

itemize(v.)

"state by items, give the particulars of," 1833 (implied in itemized), American English, from item + -ize. Related: Itemizing. An earlier verb was item "make a note of" (c. 1600).

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    detail
    c. 1600, "attention to particulars," from French détail, from Old French detail "small piece or quantity," literally "a cutting in pieces," from detaillier "cut in pieces" (12c.), from de- "entirely" (see de-) + taillier "to cut in pieces" (see tailor). French en détail "piece by
    point
    c. 1200, pointe, "minute amount, single item in a whole; sharp end of a sword, etc.," a merger of two words, both ultimately from Latin pungere "to prick, pierce," from a nasalized form of PIE root *peuk- "to prick." The Latin neuter past participle punctum was used as a noun, me
    seriously
    Middle English also had seriousli "minutely, in detail" (late 14c., now obsolete), from Medieval Latin seriose "item by item...
    specification
    The meaning "technical particular, article, or item that has been described in detail" is attested from 1833, originally...
    agenda
    "If a singular is required (=one item of the agenda) it is now agendum, the former singular agend being obsolete" [Fowler...
    personal
    The noun sense of "newspaper item about private matters" is attested from 1888....
    respect
    late 14c., "relationship, relation; regard, consideration" (as in in respect to), from Old French respect and directly from Latin respectus "regard, a looking at," literally "act of looking back (or often) at one," noun use of past participle of respicere "look back at, regard, c
    scepter
    "staff of office peculiar to royalty or independent sovereignty," c. 1300, ceptre, from Old French ceptre, sceptre (12c.) and directly from Latin sceptrum "royal staff," from Greek skēptron "staff to lean on," in a Persian and Asian context, "royal scepter," in transferred use, "
    incidental
    "casual, occurring casually in connection with something else; of minor importance," 1640s, from Medieval Latin incidentalis, from incidens (see incident (n.)). The earlier adjective in this sense was incident (1520s). Incidentals (n.) "'occasional' expenses, etc.," is attested b

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