Pertinere

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. To relate or extend toward a specific point or subject; to belong or pertain to something in relevance or importance; to be applicable or appropriate in a given context
2. To have connection or reference to a matter or area; to reach or stretch in terms of scope or influence; to be pertinent or suitable with regard to certain conditions
3. To concern or have a bearing on a particular topic or issue; to extend in meaning or range towards a target; to be relevant and fitting to an intended purpose

Etymology: Latin "pertinere" was built from "per," meaning "through" or "thoroughly," and "tenere," meaning "to hold." Its original sense was physical: a road, boundary, or estate could "hold through" to a place, reaching as far as it went. That image of reaching toward a point gave the verb its abstract sense of relating to a subject. English took the verb through Anglo-Norman French "partenir," so "pertain" arrived with a French shape before settling into its present spelling. The same Latin root "tenere" also produced "tenant," "tenet," and "tenable." A tenant holds property, and a tenet is a principle one holds to be true. The adjective "pertinent" comes from the present participle of the same Latin verb, "pertinens." It kept the sense of bearing on a matter, so a pertinent remark is one that reaches the point under discussion.

Synonyms: pertain, relate, concern, apply, refer

Antonyms: differ, diverge, disagree