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integer

Etymology and origin of the Latin word integer

History Permalink
Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
Naevius
Ultimate origin
Proto-Indo-European (*teh₂g-)

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ˈɪn.tɛ.ɡɛr][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈin.te.d͡ʒer][1]

Forms

integer (feminine integra, neuter integrum, comparative integrior, superlative integerrimus); first/second-declension adjective (nominative masculine singular in -er)[1]

Etymology

It is Proto-Italic *n̥tagro- (“untouched”), from in- (“not”) and the root Proto-Indo-European *teh₂g- (“to touch”) of tangō.[2][1][3] It was formed from the old aorist stem *tag-, seen in Old Latin tagam.[2] Cognate with Umbrian antakres (“whole (ablative plural)”).[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

De Vaan dates it from Naevius.[2][4] Köbler dates Naevius c. 235–200 BC.[4]

Semantic evolution

Its first sense was untouched, unused, fresh, as Plautus' new and fresh audacity, and of a question not yet decided, open, with rē integrā “while the matter is still open” and ab integrō or dē integrō “afresh”, as in Cato.[3] It meant not exhausted, as fresh troops, whole, complete, as Cato's unbroken tile, and of resources undiminished.[3] Morally it meant unharmed, untainted, upright, honest, and of the body sound, healthy.[5][6] Döderlein says integer and incolumis are unhurt, opposed to wounded, while salvus and sōspes are safe, opposed to killed.[7]

In Medieval Latin it also meant surviving, healthy, and virginal, of the Virgin Mary.[8][9] It survives in Romanian întreg, Italian intero and French entier, the source of English entire in the mid-14th century, and English integer “whole number” was taken from it in the 1570s.[1][5]

Timeline

  • c. 235–200 BC – Naevius uses it.[2][4]
  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of fresh audacity.[3][4]
  • 234–149 BC – Cato uses ab integrō.[3][4]
  • 1570s – English integer is recorded.[5]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. Untouched, unused, fresh.[3]
  2. (of a question) Undecided, open, dē integrō, afresh.[3]
  3. Not exhausted, fresh.[3]
  4. Whole, complete.[3]
  5. Undiminished.[3]
  6. Upright, honest; sound.[6][5]

Word family

  • integellus
  • integritās
  • integritūdō
  • integrō
  • semiinteger

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  4. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  5. ^ a b c d Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  6. ^ a b Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  7. ^ Döderlein, Ludwig (1874), Döderlein’s Hand-book of Latin Synonymes, tr. H. H. Arnold, Andover: W. F. Draper
  8. ^ Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
  9. ^ 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
Cite this entry

“Integer.” Etymologically, 16 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/integer. Accessed 16 Oct. 2026.

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