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Origin and history of tacit

tacit(adj.)

c. 1600, "unspoken, noiseless, wordless; saying nothing, silent," by 1630s as "silently indicated or implied (in tacit approving), from French tacite and directly from Latin tacitus "that is passed over in silence, done without words, assumed as a matter of course, silent," past participle of tacere "be silent, not speak." This is reconstructed (Watkins) to be from a suffixed form of PIE root *tak- "to be silent," source also of Gothic þahan, Old Norse þegja "to be silent," Old Norse þagna "to grow dumb," Old Saxon thagian, Old High German dagen "to be silent." Related: Tacitly.

also from c. 1600

Entries linking to tacit

reticence(n.)

"avoidance of saying too much or speaking too freely," c. 1600, from French réticence (16c.), from Latin reticentia "silence, a keeping silent," from present participle stem of reticere "keep silent," from re-, here perhaps intensive (see re-), + tacere "be silent" (see tacit). "Not in common use until after 1830" [OED]. Related: Reticency.

reticent(adj.)

"disposed to be silent, disinclined to speak freely," 1822, from Latin reticentem (nominative reticens), present participle of reticere "be silent, keep silent," from re-, here perhaps intensive (see re-), + tacere "be silent" (see tacit). Related: Reticently; reticency.

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silent
c. 1500, "without speech, not speaking," from Latin silentem (nominative silens) "still, calm, quiet," present participle of silere "be quiet or still" (see silence (n.)). The meaning "free from noise or sound" is from 1580s. Of letters in a word, "not sounded or pronounced," c.
insoluble
It was a tacit conviction of the learned during the Middle Ages that no such thing as an insoluble question existed....
photosynthesis
Barnes not only received tacit acceptance by the botanists of the association, but was practically approved by the Madison...
guild
The earliest reference was to sacred banquets (Tacit: Germania 21-2) for which a contribution had to be paid, and which furthermore...
listen
Old English hlysnan (Northumbrian lysna) "to listen, hear; attend to, obey" (transitive), from Proto-Germanic *hlusinon (source also of Dutch luisteren, Old High German hlosen "to listen," German lauschen "to listen"), from PIE root *kleu- "to hear." This root is the source also
tinsel
mid-15c., "a kind of cloth made with interwoven gold or silver thread," from Anglo-French tencele, Old French estencele, estincelle "spark, spangle" (see stencil (n.)). "In 14-15th c. Fr., the s of es- had long been mute" [OED]. Meaning "very thin sheets or strips of shiny metal"
conviction
mid-15c., "the proving or finding of guilt of an offense charged," from Late Latin convictionem (nominative convictio) "proof, refutation," noun of action from past-participle stem of convincere "to overcome decisively," from com-, here perhaps an intensive prefix (see com-), + v
conservative
late 14c., conservatyf, "tending to preserve or protect, preservative, having the power to keep whole or safe," from Old French conservatif, from Medieval Latin conservativus, from Latin conservatus, past participle of conservare "to keep, preserve, keep intact, guard," from assi
excruciate
"to torture, torment, inflict very severe pain on," as if by crucifying, 1560s, from Latin excruciatus, past participle of excruciare "to torture, torment, rack, plague;" figuratively "to afflict, harass, vex, torment," from ex "out, out from; thoroughly" (see ex-) + cruciare "ca
fair
Old English fæger "pleasing to the sight (of persons and body features, also of objects, places, etc.); beautiful, handsome, attractive," of weather, "bright, clear, pleasant; not rainy," also in late Old English "morally good," from Proto-Germanic *fagraz (source also of Old Sax

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