Cogent
/ˈkoʊ.dʒənt/noun
Clear, forceful, and convincing.
Did you know?Cogent descends from Latin *cogere*, meaning “to drive together” or “gather by force,” the same root behind ideas of compulsion and pressure, not polite persuasion.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*gyeh₃-
“to drive, set in motion”
Latin
Latin
cogere
“to drive together; to collect, compel”
Latin
Latin
cogentem
“pressing, compelling”
14th Century
English
cogent
“pressing, forcible; compelling in argument”
Modern English
English
cogent
“clear, logical, and convincing”
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