entry
tacit
/ˈtæsɪt/Unspoken, implied, or silently understood
From Latin tac- / tacere (to be silent).
from Latin tacitus "that is passed over in silence, done without words, assumed as a matter of course, silent," past...
+1 more sourcefrom French tacite and directly
from French tacite and directly
+1 more sourceWord Ancestry
from Latin tacitus "that is passed over in silence, done without words, assumed as a matter of course, silent," past...
+1 more sourcefrom French tacite and directly
from French tacite and directly
+1 more sourceA tacit agreement is a contract made without the theatrical business of signatures, handshakes, or even a sentence: everyone simply behaves as though the deal exists. Latin tacēre meant “to be silent,” and its past participle tacitus described something passed over in silence or accepted without words. English picked up the word through French tacite around 1600, then broadened it from literal quietness to meanings silently indicated—such as tacit approval conveyed by a nod. The ultimate ancestry is less solidly documented: one influential reconstruction connects Latin tacēre with a proposed Indo-European root meaning “to be silent,” alongside Germanic words such as Old Norse þegja, but that prehistoric link is not certain enough to treat as proven here. Think of “tacit” as silence doing paperwork: nothing is said, yet everyone somehow receives the message.
The Story
A tacit agreement is a contract made without the theatrical business of signatures, handshakes, or even a sentence: everyone simply behaves as though the deal exists. Latin tacēre meant “to be silent,” and its past participle tacitus described something passed over in silence or accepted without words. English picked up the word through French tacite around 1600, then broadened it from literal quietness to meanings silently indicated—such as tacit approval conveyed by a nod. The ultimate ancestry is less solidly documented: one influential reconstruction connects Latin tacēre with a proposed Indo-European root meaning “to be silent,” alongside Germanic words such as Old Norse þegja, but that prehistoric link is not certain enough to treat as proven here. Think of “tacit” as silence doing paperwork: nothing is said, yet everyone somehow receives the message.
Modern Usage
An obvious punchline or meaning left unstated but understood
Kin & Kindred
From 'tac- / tacere'·to be silent; leave unspoken
Derived Terms
English words from this root
Sources
Free Dictionary
Urban Dictionary
Wikipedia
Wiktionary