adequate

Where does the word "adequate" come from? It comes from Latin aequus, passing through Latin before entering English (1600s).

Adequate’s story begins in Latin: aequus meant “equal, even.” Equal, even, combined with ad- (to). Within Latin, it grew into adaequare by ancient. To make equal to, from ad- and aequus. It reached English by 1600s as adequate. First recorded in 1608 in the religious controversialist Thomas Bell, taken straight from Latin 'adaequatus'. Today, adequate means satisfactory or sufficient in quality or quantity for a particular purpose.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient aequus "equal, even", equal, even, combined with ad- (to).
2. Stage 2 · Latin · ancient adaequare "to make equal to", to make equal to, from ad- and aequus.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1600s adequate "sufficient or satisfactory for a particular purpose", first recorded in 1608 in the religious controversialist Thomas Bell, taken straight from Latin 'adaequatus'.