con-

prefix assim. form of com- before c, d, f, g, j, n, q, s, t, v, and sometimes before vowels.

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I.

— see com-

II. combining form or cono-

Etymology: Greek kōn-, kōno-, from kōnos — more at hone

: cone

conodont

conoplain

conoscope

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var. of com- before a consonant (except b, h, l, p, r) and, by assimilation, before n: convene; condone; connection.

[ < L]

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con- UK [kən] US UK [kɒn] US [kɑn] prefix

together with other people, groups, or things used with some nouns, verbs, and adjectives

confederation

(=an organization of countries that have joined together)

conjoined

(=joined to something)

Thesaurus: prefixes_hyponym

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con¹ «kon», adverb, noun.

–adv.

against: »

The two debating teams argued the question pro and con.

–n.

a reason against: »

The pros and cons of a question are arguments for and against it.

╂[short for Latin contrā against]

con² «kon», transitive verb, conned, con|ning.

1. to learn well enough to remember; study: »

Hunched at his desk, ceaselessly he conned his books.

2. to examine carefully; pore over: »

He…stopped to con what he had written before advancing to be greeted by the Speaker (London Times).

SYNONYM(S): peruse.

╂[Middle English cunnen, Old English cunnian test, examine]

con³ «kon», verb, conned, con|ning, noun. Nautical.

–v.t.

to direct the steering of (a ship): »

A local pilot familiar with the harbor steers, or cons, the ship out into deep water (P. V. H. Weems).

–n.

1. the act or process of conning.

2. the station taken by the person who cons. Also, conn.

╂[variant of cond < Old French conduire lead, guide < Latin condūcere to conduct]

con⁴ «kon», adjective, verb, conned, con|ning. Slang.

–adj.

swindling; duping: »

a con game, a con man.

–v.t.

to swindle; dupe: »

I was conned into buying an overpriced used car.

╂[American English; for confidence (game or man)]

con⁵ «kon», noun.

a rap with the knuckles; knock.

╂[compare French cogner to strike, thresh]

con⁶ «kon», noun.

Slang. a convict.

con⁷ «kon», noun.

Slang. consumption; tuberculosis.

con.,

1. against (Latin, contra).

2. concerto.

3. conclusion.

4. consolidated.

5. Law. consort; wife (Latin, conjunx).

Con.,

Consul.

con-,

prefix. the form of com- (Cf. ↑com-) before n, as in connote, and before consonants except b, h, l, m, p, r, w, as in concern, conduct.

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prefix variant spelling of com- assimilated before c, d, f, g, j, n, q, s, t, v, and sometimes before vowels (as in concord, condescend, confide, etc.)

Origin:

Latin variant of com-

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con- prefix

of Latin origin. The form assumed by the Latin preposition com (in classical L., as a separate word, cum) before all consonants except the labials, h, r, and (in later times) l, as concutĕre, condōnāre, confluĕre, congruĕre, conjūrāre, conquīrĕre, consistĕre, conspīrāre, constāre, contrahĕre, convincĕre. In earlier times it was also used before l-, as conloquium; but here it was in later times always assimilated, as colloquium, and so in the modern langs. On the other hand it was not used in classical L. before n (e.g. cōnātus, cōnubium, etc.), but has been introduced subsequently, as connātus, connubium, and this spelling is followed in English. For meaning, see com-.

Con- occurs in compounds formed in Latin, and that have come into English through French, or (in later times) directly. Also, in words formed on the analogy of these, and sometimes in casual combinations, as conspecies, where, however, co- is the usual prefix: hybrids, frequent in co-, are rare with con-: cf. con-brethren, con-truth.

In OF. con- before v was often reduced to co-, cu-, cou-, as in covenable, covenant, covent, coveiter, coveitus, etc., in which form these words were taken into English. Following later French, some of these were afterwards altered back to con-, as convenable, convent (but Covent Garden, F. couvent); others retain co-, as covenant, covet, covetous, against mod.F. convenant, convoiter, convoiteux.