Etymologically
Log in

crebre

History Permalink

Etymology and origin of the Latin word crebre

Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
c. 84–c. 25 BC, Vitruvius
Ultimate origin
Latin (creber,-e)
Etymology tree
inherited borrowed derived
Latin creber
Latin crebresco
Latin percrebresco
Latin crebre

Pronunciation

  • Classical: [ˈkreː.breː][1]
  • Ecclesiastical: [ˈkrɛː.bre][1]

Forms

crēbrē (comparative crēbrius, superlative crēbrissimē)[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin crēber (“close, frequent”) + -ē.[2][3][1]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler dates it from Vitruvius.[3]

Semantic evolution

It means thickly or densely, and frequently.[2] Lewis & Short treat it under crēber.[4] In medieval Latin it keeps the senses densely, often and constantly.[3]

Timeline

  • c. 84–c. 25 BC – Vitruvius.[3]

Meanings

Adverb

  1. Thickly, densely, closely.[2][1]
  2. Frequently, often.[2][3]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  4. ^ Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
Cite this entry

“Crebre.” Etymologically, 20 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/crebre. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·