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Today it means

comply

to act in accordance with a rule, request, or command

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Where does the word "comply" come from? It comes from Latin complere, and was adopted directly into English (1600s).

Read the full story

Where does the word "comply" come from? It comes from Latin complere, and was adopted directly into English (1600s).

Comply’s story begins in Latin: complere meant “to fill up, to complete.” To fill up, to complete, from com- (thoroughly) and plere (to fill). It reached English by 1600s as comply. Settled as the English word for acting in accordance with a rule or request. Today, comply means to act in accordance with a rule, request, or command.

  1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient complere "to fill up, to complete", to fill up, to complete, from com- (thoroughly) and plere (to fill).
  2. Stage 2 · English · 1600s comply "to act in accordance with a rule, request, or command", settled as the English word for acting in accordance with a rule or request.

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