Copula
/ˈkɒp.jʊ.lə/noun
A word or grammatical element that links a subject to a predicate, especially forms of the verb "to be."
Did you know?Copula comes from Latin *copula* meaning “bond” or “link,” from *copulare* “to fasten together,” which is why linguists treat it as the sentence’s invisible connector.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*keh₂p- / *kop-
“to seize, join, or fasten”
Latin
Latin
copula
“a bond, tie, or link”
Late Latin
Latin
copulāre
“to fasten together; unite”
Old French
Old French
copule
“a bond or grammatical link”
16th Century
English
copula
“a link or connector, especially in grammar”
Modern English
English
copula
“a linking verb or grammatical connector”