Advertisement

Origin and history of pertinency

pertinency(n.)

"quality of being relevant to the matter in hand," 1590s, from stem of Latin pertinens "pertaining," present participle of perinere (see pertain) + -cy.

Entries linking to pertinency

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.

abstract noun suffix of quality or rank, ultimately representing in English Latin -cia, -tia (see -ia) but a living word-forming element in modern English. The native correspondents are -ship, -hood.

    Advertisement

    More to explore

    Share pertinency

    Advertisement
    Trending
    Advertisement