case etymology

Etymology

The word "case" derives from the Old French word "cas," which in turn comes from the Latin word "casus."

Meaning

"Case" has several related meanings:

  • Grammatical case: A grammatical category that indicates the grammatical function of a noun or pronoun in a phrase or sentence. For example, "in the nominative case, the noun 'dog' is the subject of the verb."
  • Situation or instance: A particular set of circumstances or conditions. For example, "The medical case is complicated and requires further study."
  • Legal proceeding: A legal dispute that is brought before a court. For example, "The case of Smith v. Jones is scheduled for trial next month."
  • Storage container: A box, pouch, or other object used for holding or protecting items. For example, "Pack the books in a suitcase for the trip."

Origin

The Latin word "casus" originally referred to the "fall" or "occurrence" of something. In legal contexts, it was used to denote a specific situation or event that gave rise to a legal dispute. Over time, the word "case" became widely used in various fields to refer to different types of situations, containers, or grammatical categories.

case relate terms

  • befall

    Etymology The word befall comes from the Middle English word befallen which is itsel

  • fall

    Etymology Middle English fallen Old English feallan Proto Germanic fallaną Meani

  • casement

    Etymology Old French casement Latin casamentum Latin casa hut mentum suffix in

  • case

    Etymology The word case derives from the Old French word cas which in turn comes fro

  • capsule

    Etymology The word capsule comes from the Latin word capsula which means small box

  • cash

    Etymology Borrowed from Middle French cas from Old French chas of uncertain origin I

  • casual

    Etymology The word casual is derived from the Latin word casus which means chance

  • dative

    Etymology The word dative originates from the Latin word dativus which means giving

  • ablative

    Etymology The word ablative comes from the Latin word ablativus meaning carrying aw

  • holster

    Etymology The word holster comes from the Middle High German word holster meaning h

  • genitive

    Etymology The word genitive comes from the Latin word genitivus which is derived fro

  • item

    Item Etymology Latin item also likewise besides Meaning A single or individ

  • time

    Etymology Old English tîma time period hour West Germanic tîmon Proto Germanic

  • mite

    Etymology The word mite comes from the Old English word mite which in turn is deriv