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glutto

Etymology and origin of the Latin word glutto

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Confidence
Uncertain
Formation
Onomatopoeia
First attested
Persius

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ˈɡɫʊt.toː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈɡlut.to][1]

Forms

gluttō m (genitive gluttōnis); third declension[1]

Etymology

It is a noun from gluttiō “to swallow”.[2][3] De Vaan thinks the stem is an onomatopoeic *gul- / *glu-, since the /t/ is absent in ingluviēs “gullet”, though Latin might share the stem *glut- of Proto-Slavic *glъtъ (“gullet”).[4] Wiktionary relates it to gula “throat”.[1]

Earliest recorded meaning

It appears in Persius, where it is a conjecture, and in Festus.[5][4] Köbler dates Persius 34–62 AD.[6]

Semantic evolution

In Latin it was a glutton or gourmand, a rare word.[2][5]

In medieval Latin it was common: a monk in Ælfric's Colloquy says he is not a glutton, and it was used of animals as an adjective.[7] Through Old French gloton it gave English glutton, at first also a general term of abuse.[8] It survives as French glouton, Italian ghiotto and Spanish glotón.[1]

Timeline

  • 34–62 AD – Persius may use it.[5][6]
  • early 13th century – English glutton is recorded.[8]

Meanings

Noun

  1. A glutton, gourmand.[2][1]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
  4. ^ a b de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
  5. ^ a b c Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  6. ^ a b Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  7. ^ 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
  8. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
Cite this entry

“Glutto.” Etymologically, 16 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/glutto. Accessed 16 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·