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paedagogicus

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Etymology and origin of the Latin word paedagogicus

Confidence
Probable
Formation
Derivation
First attested
c. 1100 More words from the 11th century
Ultimate origin
Latin paedagogus
Etymology tree
inherited borrowed derived
Ancient Greek παῖς (paîs)
Ancient Greek παιδαγωγός (paidagōgós)
Latin paedagōgus
Latin paedagōgicus
English pedagogical
From the same root
Ancient Greek παιδίον (paidíon) ← παῖς
Ancient Greek παιδαγωγικός (paidagōgikós) ← παιδαγωγός
English pedagogue ← παιδαγωγός

Forms

paedagōgicus (feminine paedagōgica, neuter paedagōgicum); first/second-declension adjective[1][2] The spelling pēdagōgicus is also recorded.[1]

Etymology

According to Köbler, it is from Latin paedagogus (“tutor, teacher”).[1]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler dates its first record to about 1100, from Latham's list of British medieval Latin, with the sense of educating.[1]

Semantic evolution

In Church Latin it means pedagogical or educational.[2]

Timeline

  • c. 1100 – First recorded in British medieval Latin.[1]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. Pedagogical, educational.[2][1]

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 Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson

Borrowed into

Cite this entry

“Paedagogicus.” Etymologically, 7 Nov. 2026, etymologically.com/la/paedagogicus. Accessed 8 Nov. 2026.

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