Word Origin Atlas

Exact historical dictionary sense

Function in Webster's 1913 dictionary

The 1913 record labels function as noun. Its source-bounded etymology and selected historical definition appear below.

WEBSTER 1913noun
Function

[L. functio, fr. fungi to perform, execute, akin to Skr. bhuj to enjoy, have the use of: cf. F. fonction. Cf. Defunct.]

Cross-verified historical sense
The source text may be outdated. The page preserves that historical boundary.
Cross-verified 1913 record
Headwordfunction
Part of speechnoun
Historical etymology[L. functio, fr. fungi to perform, execute, akin to Skr. bhuj to enjoy, have the use of: cf. F. fonction. Cf. Defunct.]
Selected historical definitionThe act of executing or performing any duty, office, or calling; performance.
Signed record IDwebster1913-function-noun-a1acaa67c6b3
Source locatorCIDE.F, paragraph 9873; Gutenberg eBook 663
Edition-scoped answerNot earliest-attestation proofNot modern consensus
Independent historical textProject Gutenberg section 663Signed structural record sourceGNU GCIDE 0.54 archive
Quick answer

In Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913), "function" is labeled noun. Its etymology is recorded as: "[L. functio, fr. fungi to perform, execute, akin to Skr. bhuj to enjoy, have the use of: cf. F. fonction. Cf. Defunct.]" The selected historical definition says: "The act of executing or performing any duty, office, or calling; performance."

Project Gutenberg Webster 1913 plus signed GNU GCIDE 0.54 Exact cross-verified historical record reviewed 2026-10-04

What this answer proves

One named sense in one historical dictionary edition.

The answer reports the selected headword, part of speech, etymology, definition, and source locator as transcribed in the cross-verified 1913 record.

Evidence boundaryIt does not establish the earliest attestation or a complete borrowing chain.It does not claim current scholarly consensus or a modern dictionary definition.Historical dictionary text may be obsolete, incomplete, inaccurate, or offensive by modern standards.

More released F records

Every card owns a different source record and historical sense.

verb

Found

[F. fondre, L. fundere to found, pour.]

Webster 1913 exact recordnoun

Face

[F., from L. facies form, shape, face, perh. from facere to make (see Fact); or perh. orig. meaning appearance, and from a root meaning to shine, and akin to E. fancy. Cf. Facetious.]

Webster 1913 exact recordadjective

Future

[F. futur, L. futurus, used as fut. p. of esse to be, but from the same root as E. be. See Be, v. i.]

Webster 1913 exact recordnoun

Form

[OE. & F. forme, fr. L. forma; cf. Skr. dhariman. Cf. Firm.]

Webster 1913 exact recordadjective

Final

[F., fr. L. finalis, fr. finis boundary, limit, end. See Finish.]

Webster 1913 exact record

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