Etymologically
Log in

deintro

History Permalink

Etymology and origin of the Latin word deintro

Confidence
Established
Formation
Compound
First attested
4th century AD, Chiron
Ultimate origins
Proto-Italic *dēLatin intro
Etymology tree
inherited borrowed derived
Latin de
French de
Italian da
Italian di
Italian dove
Latin deintro
Italian dentro
From the same root
Latin deante ← de
Latin deforis ← de
Latin deinter ← de
Latin deintus ← de
Latin denuo ← de
Latin deretro ← de
Latin desubtus ← de
Latin desuper ← de
Latin desursum ← de
French davantage ← de
French debout ← de
French devant ← de
Italian dappertutto ← da
Italian davvero ← da

Forms

deintrō (adverb; preposition with the accusative; also written dē intrō)[1][2][3]

Etymology

It is from Latin dē (“from”) + intrō1 (“inside”),[2][1][3] a Late Latin formation.[4][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The first record is the adverb in Chiron, of a poisoned vein visible “deintro”, within.[2][1]

Semantic evolution

It was used both as an adverb, “within”, and as a preposition with the accusative.[2][4] The Pactus Legis Salicae has the phrase deintro clavem, “under lock and key”, of stolen goods kept locked away,[2][5] where the Lex Salica has intra clavem.[5] Medieval British writers used it for “within, on the inside”, and de deintro for “from within”.[4]

Through Late Latin dē intrō it lives on in Italian dentro, Neapolitan dinto and Sicilian dintra.[3]

Timeline

  • 4th century AD – Chiron uses it as an adverb.[2][1]
  • 507–511? – The Pactus Legis Salicae uses it as a preposition in deintro clavem.[2][5][1]

Meanings

Adverb

  1. (Late Latin) Within, inside.[2][1][4]
  2. (Late Latin, with de) From within.[3][4]

Preposition

  1. (Late Latin) Within, inside of, with the accusative: deintro clavem, under lock and key.[2][5][4]

Usage notes

The Pactus Legis Salicae says: “Si quis accipitrem deintro clavem repositum furaverit”, “if anyone steals a hawk kept under lock and key”.[5]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
  3. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  4. ^ a b c d e f Latham, R. E., D. R. Howlett, R. K. Ashdowne, et al. (1975–2013), Dictionary of Medieval Latin from British Sources, London: British Academy / Oxford University Press
  5. ^ a b c d e du Cange, Charles du Fresne, et al. (1883–1887), Glossarium mediae et infimae latinitatis, augmented ed. by Léopold Favre, Niort: L. Favre

Descendants

Cite this entry

“Deintro.” Etymologically, 24 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/deintro. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·