Pactum
/ˈpæk.tum/noun
A formal agreement or covenant, especially one made between parties or states.
Did you know?Latin pactum is the past participle noun from pacisci, and it ultimately shares a root with peace, because in ancient Indo-European thinking a binding agreement was literally a kind of making-things-still.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*pag-
“to fasten, fix, or make firm”
Latin
Latin
pacisci
“to agree, make a bargain, or come to terms”
Latin
Latin
pactum
“an agreement, covenant, or compact”
Old French
Old French
pacte
“a treaty or formal agreement”
Middle English
English
pact
“a formal agreement or contract”
Modern English
English
pact
“a formal agreement or treaty”