commove

verb

com·​move kə-ˈmüv 

kä-

commoved; commoving

transitive verb

1

: to move violently : agitate

2

: to rouse intense feeling in : excite to passion

Did you know?

Eighteenth-century English lexicographer Samuel Johnson declared "commove" as being "not in use," but the word had not really disappeared from the language; it was simply, at that time, popular primarily with Scottish writers. The 14th-century poet Geoffrey Chaucer is credited with the first use of "commove," and many writers since have used the word, including Sir Walter Scott and George Eliot. Though not so common today, "commove" does occasionally pop up (to the chagrin of Johnsonians). "Market values tend to commove over time," read one such recent example, which appeared in the February 2007 issue of The Journal of Banking and Finance.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English commoeven, from Anglo-French commoveir, from Latin commovēre, from com- + movēre to move

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Podcast

Get Word of the Day delivered to your inbox!