coherent

Where does the word "coherent" come from? It comes from Latin haerere, passing through Latin before entering English (1500s).

Coherent’s story begins in Latin: haerere meant “to stick, to cling.” To stick, to cling, combined with com- (together). Within Latin, it grew into cohaerere by ancient. To stick together, from com- and haerere. By ancient, Latin speakers had reshaped it into cohaerens. Sticking together, logically connected, present participle of cohaerere. It reached English by 1500s as coherent. Settled as the English word for something logical and consistent. Today, coherent means logical and consistent, easy to understand or follow.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient haerere "to stick, to cling", to stick, to cling, combined with com- (together).
2. Stage 2 · Latin · ancient cohaerere "to stick together", to stick together, from com- and haerere.
3. Stage 3 · Latin · ancient cohaerens "sticking together, logically connected", sticking together, logically connected, present participle of cohaerere.
4. Stage 4 · English · 1500s coherent "logical and consistent, easy to follow", settled as the English word for something logical and consistent.