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integralis

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Etymology and origin of the Latin word integralis

Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
1163, letters of Becket
Ultimate origin
Latin integer
Etymology tree
inherited borrowed derived
Latin integer
French entier
Italian intero
Latin integralis
English integral
From the same root
Latin integre ← integer

Pronunciation

  • Classical: [ɪn.tɛˈɡraː.lɪs][1]
  • Ecclesiastical: [in.teˈɡraː.lis][1]

Forms

integrālis (neuter integrāle); third-declension two-termination adjective[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin integer (“whole, untouched”) + -ālis, a Medieval Latin formation.[1][2][3] De Vaan places integer, “untouched”, with tangō (“to touch”), from Proto-Italic *ntagro- (“untouched”).[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

The DMLBS cites it first from a letter of 1163 in the correspondence of Thomas Becket, which says that the body of the Cluniac church is made up of two integral parts, one in the Empire and the other in the kingdoms.[2][5]

Semantic evolution

It was mainly a word of scholastic philosophy: a pars integrālis was a separable part which with others makes up a whole, as distinguished from an essential part, and a tōtum integrāle a whole made of such parts, as distinguished from a universal whole.[2][6] Thomas Aquinas uses it as a synonym of integer.[7] Outside philosophy it meant simply whole, complete or undiminished,[6][8][9] for instance of payments, rights or tithes.[10][11] English integral, from the late 15th century, came from it through Old French.[3]

Timeline

  • 1163 – A letter in Becket's correspondence speaks of the integral parts of the Cluniac church.[2][5]
  • 1260 – The Annals of Piacenza have the spelling integrilis.[6]
  • third quarter of the 13th century – Thomas Aquinas uses pars integrālis.[7][5]
  • late 15th century – English borrows it, through Old French, as integral.[3]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. Whole, complete, undiminished.[6][8][9][1]
  2. (philosophy) Of a part: forming together with other parts a whole, integral.[2][6][7]
  3. (philosophy) Of a whole: made up of separate parts.[2][6]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ 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
  3. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  4. ^ 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 Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  6. ^ a b c d e f Mittellateinisches Wörterbuch bis zum ausgehenden 13. Jahrhundert (1967–), Munich: C. H. Beck; Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
  7. ^ a b c Schütz, Ludwig (1895), Thomas-Lexikon, 2nd ed., Paderborn: F. Schöningh
  8. ^ a b Bartal, Antal, et al. (1987–), Lexicon Latinitatis Medii Aevi Hungariae, Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó; online ed. ELTE
  9. ^ a b du Cange, Charles du Fresne, et al. (1883–1887), Glossarium mediae et infimae latinitatis, augmented ed. by Léopold Favre, Niort: L. Favre
  10. ^ Lexicon mediae et infimae Latinitatis Polonorum (1953–), Kraków: Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN; electronic ed. elexicon.scriptores.pl
  11. ^ Latinitatis medii aevi lexicon Bohemorum / Slovník středověké latiny v českých zemích (1977–), Prague: Academia; electronic version, Institute of Philosophy of the Czech Academy of Sciences

Borrowed into

Cite this entry

“Integralis.” Etymologically, 24 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/integralis. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

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