Etymology

knowledge

know·ledge
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Today it means: The fact of knowing about something; general understanding or familiarity with a subject, place, situation etc. Full definition →

First used 14th c.Middle English knowleche
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The story

  1. Middle English · inherited fromknowleche
  2. English todayknowledge

From Middle English knowleche, knaweleche, cnawlece (“knowledge”), from knowen (“to know, recognise”) + -leche. Related to Middle English knowlechen (“to find out, acknowledge”). For more on the Middle English suffix -leche, compare freelage. Compare also Old English cnāwelǣċ, cnāwelǣċing (“acknowledging, acknowledgement”).

First known use, by meaning

  • from 14th c. The fact of knowing about something; general understanding or familiarity with a subject, place, situation etc.
  • from 14th c. Awareness of a particular fact or situation; a state of having been informed or made aware of something.
  • from 14th c. Intellectual understanding; the state of appreciating truth or information.
  • from 14th c. Familiarity or understanding of a particular skill, branch of learning etc.
  • from 15th c. Sexual intimacy or intercourse (now usually in phrase carnal knowledge).
  • 15th–18th c. Information or intelligence about something; notice.
  • from 16th c. The total of what is known; all information and products of learning.
  • from 16th c. Something that can be known; a branch of learning; a piece of information; a science.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.