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Is "connexion" synonymous with "connection"? For example, "an ethernet connexion". Can I use it like that?

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2 Answers

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No, at least not in American English.

From Wikipedia:

Connexion is the original and variant spelling of "connection", common until at least the 19th century, and still occasionally used in British English (it was the house style of The Times of London as recently as the 1980s). It is derived from the Latin connexio, hence the spelling, unlike most words ending in "-ction" which are derived from Latin words ending in "-ctio" (e.g. "protection" from protectio).

I've never seen that spelling in use in the US.

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1  
Sounds like the name of some Technology company to me. (American English speaker). Never seen it written like that, but would associate it with an alternative spelling of Connection if seen in older texts. – Aequitarum Custos Feb 23 '11 at 21:11
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@Aequitarum Custos You're not the only one that thought this would made a good tech company name: connexiontechnologies.net/cnxntech/index – Zoot Feb 23 '11 at 21:35
Hah, figures – Aequitarum Custos Feb 23 '11 at 21:40
up vote 2 down vote

In British English, connexion is an alternative spelling of connection; American English only uses connection.

The origin of the word connection explains the reason of this.
Connection has origin from the Latin connexio(n-); only in the 18th century the spelling -ct- started to be used, on the pattern of words like collect, and collection.

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On a side note, the formation connectio would be impossible in classical Latin: connexion is hence etymologically preferable, if we maintain that words should not be based on folk etymology where possible. At any rate, there was as far as I know no verb connecto in classical Latin, only necto existed; it was probably a medieval or Renaissance invention. This is logical if you consider what the con- has to add to the meaning of necto: nothing. The word with the intended meaning that actually existed in classical Latin was nexus — and even that was, I believe, a late word. – Cerberus Feb 24 '11 at 15:41

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