Advertisement

Origin and history of code

code(n.)

c. 1300, "systematic compilation of laws," from Old French code "system of laws, law-book" (13c.), from Latin codex "systematic classification of statutory law," earlier caudex "book," literally "tree trunk," hence, book made up of wooden tablets covered with wax for writing. De Vaan traces this through Proto-Italic *kaud-ek- to PIE *kehu-d- "cleaved, separate," which he also sees as the root of cauda "tail" (see coda).

Meaning "cipher, system of signals and the rules which govern their use" (the sense in secret code) is from 1808. Code-name is from 1879 (in telegraphy). Meaning "system of expressing information and instructions in a form usable by a computer" is from 1946.

code(v.)

"to put into code," 1815, from code (n.). Specifically "to put into computer code" from 1947. Intransitive sense "write computer code" is by 1987. Related: Coded; coding.

also from 1815

Entries linking to code

coda(n.)

"passage added to a musical composition for the purpose of bringing it to a conclusion," 1753, from Latin cauda "tail of an animal," which is of uncertain origin. De Vaan traces it to Proto-Italic *kaud-a- "part; tail," from PIE *kehu-d- "cleaved, separate," from root *khu-. He writes: "Since words for 'piece, part' are often derived from 'to cut, cleave', the tail may have been referred to as the loose 'part' of the animal."

codex(n.)

"manuscript volume (especially an ancient one)," 1845, from Latin codex "book" (see code (n.)). Related: Codical.

Advertisement

More to explore

cipher
late 14c., "arithmetical symbol for zero," from Old French cifre "nought, zero," Medieval Latin cifra, which, with Spanish and Italian cifra, ultimately is from Arabic sifr "zero," literally "empty, nothing," from safara "to be empty;" a loan-translation of Sanskrit sunya-s "empt
POTUS
It is a survival from the Phillips Code, created 1879 by U.S. journalist Walter P....Phillips to speed up (and save money on) Morse code transmissions but obsolete from c. 1940 with the widespread use of teletype...Other Phillips Code survivals include SCOTUS for "Supreme Court of the United States."...
chivalry
From late 14c. as "the nobility as one of the estates of the realm," also as the word for an ethical code emphasizing honor...Modern use for "social and moral code of medieval feudalism" probably is an 18c. historical revival....
Salic
"based on or contained in the law code of the Salian Franks," 1540s, from French Salique, from Medieval Latin Salicus, from...The Salic Law, a supposed code of law of the ancient Germanic tribes, was invoked 1316 by Philip V of France to exclude a...
omerta
Mafia code of obedience to the leader and silence about the organization and its business, 1909, from Italian omertà, a dialectal...
draconian
Draco is the Latinized form of Greek Drakon, name of the archon of Athens who laid down a code of laws for Athens c. 621...
dash
As one of the two Morse code signals from 1859....
address
early 14c., "to guide, aim, or direct," from Old French adrecier "go straight toward; straighten, set right; point, direct" (13c.), from Vulgar Latin *addirectiare "make straight" (source also of Spanish aderezar, Italian addirizzare), from ad "to" (see ad-) + *directiare "make s
access
early 14c., "an attack of fever," from Old French acces "onslaught, attack; onset (of an illness)," from Latin accessus "a coming to, an approach; way of approach, entrance," noun use of past participle of accedere "to approach," from assimilated form of ad "to" (see ad-) + ceder
instruction
c. 1400, instruccioun, "action or process of teaching," from Old French instruccion (14c., Modern French instruction), from Latin instructionem (nominative instructio) "an array, arrangement," in Late Latin "teaching," from past participle stem of instruere "arrange, prepare, set

Share code

Advertisement
Trending
Dictionary entries near code
Advertisement