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pact

(păkt)

1. A formal agreement, such as one between nations; a treaty.

2. An arrangement between people; a compact. See Synonyms at agreement.

[Middle English, from Old French, from Latin pactum, from neuter sing. past participle of pacīscī, to agree; see pag- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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