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intestinus

Etymology and origin of the Latin word intestinus

History Permalink
Confidence
Probable
Formation
Derivation
First attested
Varro

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ɪn.tɛsˈtiː.nʊs][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [in.tesˈtiː.nus][1]

Forms

intestīnus (feminine intestīna, neuter intestīnum); first/second-declension adjective[1]

Etymology

It is Proto-Italic *n̥ter-sto- (“internal”).[2] De Vaan, after Leumann, takes it from inter with a suffix *-stīno-, from a compound in *-sth₂-o- “standing”.[2] Walde–Hofmann took it from intus “within”, as do the Oxford Latin Dictionary and Etymonline.[2][1][3][4] The noun intestīnum “gut”, attested earlier, and the later adjective “domestic” both point to an original sense “internal”.[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

The adjective is found from Varro, the noun intestīnum “intestines” already in Plautus.[2] Köbler dates Varro 116–27 BC.[5]

Semantic evolution

In Classical Latin it was what occurs within a state, civil or domestic, as Cicero's bellum intestīnum “civil war”.[3][6] It was internal to the body, as Seneca's internal malady, and inward or private.[3][1] Mare intestīnum was the Mediterranean, and opus intestīnum interior woodwork or joinery, as in Varro.[3][6]

In medieval Latin it was civil, domestic or intimate, as the internal strife of England in 1138.[7] Through the noun it gave English intestine, and learned French intestin and Italian intestino.[4][1]

Timeline

  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses the noun intestīnum.[2][5]
  • 116–27 BC – Varro uses opus intestīnum of joinery.[6][5]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero speaks of civil war.[6][5]
  • early 15th century – English intestine is recorded.[4]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. Internal to a state, civil, domestic.[3][8]
  2. Internal to the body, inward.[3][1]
  3. Private, personal.[1]
  4. Mare intestīnum, the Mediterranean.[3]
  5. Opus intestīnum, interior woodwork, joinery.[3][6]

Word family

  • intestīna
  • intestīnārius
  • intestīnum
  • inter
  • stō
  • intus
  • English intestine

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f 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 Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  4. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  5. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  6. ^ a b c d e Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  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. ^ Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
Cite this entry

“Intestinus.” Etymologically, 16 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/intestinus. Accessed 16 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·