condone
UK[kənˈdəʊn]US[kənˈdoʊn]
v
To accept or allow behavior that is considered wrong or offensive by treating it as if it were not serious or important; to forgive or overlook an offense.
Morpheme Breakdown
con
done
con
together, with
done
give
Etymology
The verb 'condone' originates from the Latin 'condonare', meaning 'to give away, to give up, to remit, to forgive'. This Latin term is a compound of the intensive prefix 'con-' (altogether) and 'donare' (to give). The literal sense is thus 'to give altogether, to give up (an offense)'. The semantic journey moved from the concrete act of giving up a claim or a debt to the more abstract act of giving up resentment or judgment, leading to the modern meaning of forgiving or overlooking a fault. It entered English in the mid-19th century, initially used in legal contexts before broadening to general moral and social forgiveness.
Analysis
Structure: con (together, with) + done (give)
- con: Latin prefix; from Latin 'cum', meaning 'together, with, altogether'. In this word, it functions as an intensifying prefix.
- done: Latin root; from Latin 'donare', meaning 'to give'. In this word, it functions as the core root conveying the sense of 'giving'.
Examples
The school cannot condone cheating on exams.
His behavior was wrong, and I do not condone it.
By staying silent, she seemed to condone their actions.