Sunflower's mother is with us right now, and last night the word, "company" came up. How is it that we consider visitors to be "company?"

Good question. From Etymology.com, it seems that the word comes from the French word compaignie, meaning "body of soldiers," from the Latin word companio, meaning "subdivision of an infantry regiment." But then it is related to companion, too, which must be the origin of the "guest" definition? I am not sure.

The original meaning in Latin has to do with somebody you'll break bread with: companio. From com- 'with' and panis 'bread'.

[Added some morphemes and glosses.]

This message has been edited. Last edited by: zmježd,

That's one word I sorely miss these days: company in the sense of visitors, people who might come over just to say howdy.
Used to be you could say howdy, and, if not feeling well, you could say simply: "I'm sorry, I'm not good company today," and without being too nosy they would come back another day. Those days are no more.

quote:

Originally posted by zmjezhd:
somebody you'll break bread with: companio. From com- 'with' and panis 'bread'.

[Added some morphemes and glosses.]

Since one often associated bread with wine, I'm surprised that there's not a word such as "comvineral," or the like.

quote:

Originally posted by Mr Pipes:
That's one word I sorely miss these days: company in the sense of visitors, people who might come over just to say howdy.

It still happens to me on rare occasion, but usually people call ahead first to make sure I'm home.

What part of the world are you in, Mr Pipes? Maybe it's different there.

Hey, Mr. Pipes, where have you been? We have been missing you! Welcome back.

comvineral

The Greeks had a word συμποσιον (sumposion) 'drinking party' which gave us symposium from the roots together and drinking. The Romans had potatio, perpotatio 'drinking-bout' from their cognate root for drinking. The Romans also had convivium 'social feast, entertainment, banquet' from living together, which gives us convivial. Your guests were convivae. Another, less common, Greek word for common meal or banquet is συνδειπνον (sundeipnon) from δειπνεω (deipneo) 'take the main meal; dine'.

It has always been interesting to me about how many words there are about drinking. We have a word book with a whole chapter on those.

quote:

Originally posted by zmjezhd:
comvineral

The Greeks had a word συμποσιον (sumposion) 'drinking party' which gave us symposium from the roots together and drinking.

Very good! When one reads Plato, one discovers they knew how to have one helluva good time! Yet where's the English term that maintains the original meaning? Maybe we'll just have to invent "comvineral," huh?