according
UK[əˈkɔːdɪŋ]US[əˈkɔːrdɪŋ]
adv
As stated by or in agreement with a particular source or person.
adv
In a manner that is appropriate or suitable to the circumstances.
Morpheme Breakdown
ac
cord
ing
ac
to
cord
heart
ing
present participle suffix
Etymology
The word 'according' originates from the Old French 'acorder', meaning 'to reconcile, agree, be in harmony'. This verb was built from the Latin phrase 'ad cor', literally 'to (the) heart'. The core concept is of bringing things 'to one heart' or into a state of concord. Over time, the present participle form 'according' evolved into an adverb, shifting from the active sense of 'agreeing' to the relational sense of 'in agreement with' or 'as stated by'. Thus, the modern meaning retains the ancient link between agreement and being of one heart.
Analysis
Structure: ac (to) + cord (heart) + ing (present participle suffix)
- ac: A prefix from Latin 'ad-', meaning 'to' or 'toward'. It assimilates to 'ac-' before 'c'.
- cord: A root from Latin 'cor, cordis', meaning 'heart'.
- ing: A suffix from Old English '-ende' or '-ing', forming present participles or gerunds.
Examples
According to the weather forecast, it will rain this afternoon.
The project was completed according to the client's specifications.
He was paid according to the hours he worked.