etymology - How does 'consist' compound with 'in' mean “to have as an essential feature”?



1.1. [consist in] = Have as an essential feature



How did the Latin com- + sistere compound to mean 1.1 above? It may help to read ODO's own conjecture of the etymology (see the link above).



[Etymonline for consist (v.) :] 1520s, from Middle French consister (14c.) or directly from Latin consistere "to stand firm, take a standing position, stop, halt,"
from com- "together" (see com-) + sistere "to place," causative of stare "to stand, be standing" (see stay (v.)). Related: Consisted; consisting.





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