Old English words from Latin
9 Old English words with Latin in their history, whether borrowed directly or passed on through other languages.
butere
It is borrowed from Latin būtȳrum (“butter”), one of the early Latin loans that Durkin dates before about 650. The Latin word is from Ancient Greek βούτυρον (boútūron), which Köbler and Etymonline…
cipp
1. The word for the chip is, according to Wiktionary, from Old English *ċippian (“to chop off in pieces”), a verb recorded only in forċippian (“to cut off”), from Proto-West Germanic *kippōn, from…
coc
It is borrowed from Ecclesiastical Latin *cōcus (“cook”), with the long vowel of an open syllable, from earlier Latin cocus, a form of coquus. Durkin counts it among the later Latin loans, probably…
pic
It is borrowed from Latin pix (“pitch”) (stem ⟨pic-⟩), an early loan: Wiktionary sets up Proto-West Germanic *pik for West Germanic, and the word appears as Old Saxon pik, Old Frisian pik, Old High…
port
1. The word for the harbour is borrowed from Latin portus (“harbour, haven”). Durkin counts it among the early loans from Latin, made before about 650, in his group of words for towns and…
rose
It is borrowed from Latin rosa (“rose”), one of the Latin loans that Durkin places probably after 650. It became a weak feminine noun, with the plural ⟨rōsan⟩ beside ⟨rōsa⟩. Durkin gives the vowel…
sacc
It is borrowed from Latin saccus (“sack, bag”). Durkin lists it, with the variant sæcc, among the Latin loans of Old English that name containers and vessels. The borrowing was early: Orel and…
temprian
It is borrowed from Latin temperō (“to moderate, mix in due proportion”). Durkin lists it among the verbs that Old English borrowed from Latin, with the senses “to modify; to cure, heal; to…
torr
It is borrowed from Latin turris (“tower”). Durkin lists it among the early loans from Latin, made before about 650, and, following Frings, among the loans shared by English and the Netherlands…