entry
conscientious
/ˌkɑnʃiˈɛnʃəs/Careful to follow moral duties and standards
From Latin con- (with) + Latin sci- (know).
from Latin conscientia "sense of right, moral sense" (see conscience). Related: Conscientiously; conscientiousness....
from Medieval Latin conscientiosus
from French conscientieux (16c.; Modern French consciencieux)
+1 more sourceWord Ancestry
from Latin conscientia "sense of right, moral sense" (see conscience). Related: Conscientiously; conscientiousness....
from Medieval Latin conscientiosus
from French conscientieux (16c.; Modern French consciencieux)
+1 more sourceBefore conscientiousness became a virtue on a report card, its Latin ancestor conscientia meant something like an inner witness: literally, awareness or knowledge shared with oneself. The word crossed through Medieval Latin conscientiosus and Middle French conscientieux before appearing in English in the 1610s, describing people governed by their knowledge of right and wrong. Its knowledge-bearing core is a close cousin of science, prescience, and omniscient—so a conscientious person is, etymologically, someone who “knows with” an inner moral tribunal. The word later acquired a distinctly public life: “conscientious objector” appeared in 1896 for people resisting compulsory vaccination, and during World War I the phrase was chiefly associated with military refusal. Picture conscience as a tiny courtroom inside your head: conscientious means showing up, reading the rules carefully, and refusing to bribe the judge.
The Story
Before conscientiousness became a virtue on a report card, its Latin ancestor conscientia meant something like an inner witness: literally, awareness or knowledge shared with oneself. The word crossed through Medieval Latin conscientiosus and Middle French conscientieux before appearing in English in the 1610s, describing people governed by their knowledge of right and wrong. Its knowledge-bearing core is a close cousin of science, prescience, and omniscient—so a conscientious person is, etymologically, someone who “knows with” an inner moral tribunal. The word later acquired a distinctly public life: “conscientious objector” appeared in 1896 for people resisting compulsory vaccination, and during World War I the phrase was chiefly associated with military refusal. Picture conscience as a tiny courtroom inside your head: conscientious means showing up, reading the rules carefully, and refusing to bribe the judge.
Kin & Kindred
From 'con-'·with, together, jointly
Derived Terms
English words from this root
From 'sci-'·know, be aware
Derived Terms
English words from this root