Constipate is from Latin constipatus, past participle of constipare ('to press together, crowd'), from con- ('together') + stipare ('to cram, pack tight'). The ancestry passes through Latin constipare and Latin stipare. The prefix con- adds togetherness, combination, or intensification where the Latin formation gives it that value, helping to explain the word's surface structure. In present use as a verb, it means "to cause difficulty in emptying the bowels; to clog or obstruct", keeping the historical formation close to the word's ordinary semantic work. Related words include stipple, stiff, and costive; derived forms include constipation and constipated.