matriculate

The story

1. Latin · derived frommātrīx“list”
2. Latin · borrowed frommātrīculātus
3. English todaymatriculate

The adjective is first attested in 1487, in Middle English, the verb in 1557; borrowed from Latin mātrīculātus, perfect passive participle of mātrīculō (“to register”) (see -ate (etymology 1, 2 and 3)), from mātrīcula (“public register”), a diminutive of Latin mātrīx (“list”). By surface analysis, matricul(a) + -ate.

Words from the same roots

First known use, by meaning

• 1712 A person admitted to membership in a society or college.