coverage
UK[ˈkʌvərɪdʒ]US[ˈkʌvərɪdʒ]
n
the reporting of a particular important event or subject
n
the amount of protection given by an insurance policy
n
the area or number of things that something includes, affects, or deals with
Morpheme Breakdown
cover
age
cover
to protect, to include
age
noun suffix
Etymology
The word 'coverage' is a relatively modern English formation, built upon the well-established verb 'cover'. The core concept of 'cover' originates from the Latin 'cooperire', meaning 'to cover over or overwhelm', which itself is a combination of the intensive prefix 'co-' and 'operire' (to close, cover). The suffix '-age', borrowed into English via French from Latin '-aticum', is used to form nouns indicating a related action, process, or result. Thus, 'coverage' logically evolved from the literal action of covering something to denote the abstract results or extent of that action: the scope of protection, inclusion, or reporting.
Analysis
Structure: cover (to protect, to include) + age (noun suffix)
- cover: From Old French 'covrir', ultimately from Latin 'cooperire' (to cover completely). Functions as the core verb root.
- age: From Old French '-age', a noun-forming suffix denoting an action, result, or collective entity. Functions as a derivational suffix.
Examples
The television network provided live coverage of the election results.
Check your health insurance policy to see what medical coverage it includes.
The course offers broad coverage of European history from the Renaissance to the present day.