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Origin and history of pertain

pertain(v.)

early 14c., perteinen, "be attached legally," from Old French partenir "to belong to" and directly from Latin pertinere "to reach, stretch; relate, have reference to; belong, be the right of; be applicable," from per "through" (from PIE root *per- (1) "forward," hence "through") + tenere "to hold" (from PIE root *ten- "to stretch").

From late 14c. as "to belong to as a possession or an adjunct; belong to as one's care or concern," also "have reference to." Related: Pertained; pertaining.

Entries linking to pertain

late 14c., appertenen, "belong as parts to the whole, or as members to a family or class, belong by association or attribution," from Anglo-French apartenir, Old French apartenir "be related to; be incumbent upon" (12c.), from Late Latin appertinere "to pertain to," from ad "to; completely" (see ad-) + pertinere "to belong to" (see pertain). Related: Appertained; appertaining.

c. 1300, "right, privilege or possession subsidiary to a principal one," especially in law, "a right, privilege, or improvement belonging to a property," from Anglo-French apurtenance (12c.), Old French apartenance, apertenance, present participle of apartenir "be related to," from Late Latin appertinere "to pertain to, belong to," from Latin ad "to" (see ad-) + pertinere "belong; be the right of" (see pertain).

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