Etymologically
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peregre

Etymology and origin of the Latin word peregre

History Permalink
Confidence
Established
Formation
Compound
First attested
Naevius
Ultimate origin
Latin (per,ager)

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ˈpɛ.rɛ.ɡreː], [ˈpɛ.rɛ.ɡrɛ][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈpɛː.re.ɡre][1]

Forms

peregrē̆ (not comparable)[1]

Etymology

It is from Proto-Italic *pereagro “beyond the surrounding land”, by surface analysis per and ager “field, territory”.[1][2][3] The TLL says it is unclear whether ⟨peregre⟩ or ⟨peregrī⟩, perhaps an old locative, is the older form.[4][1]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citation is from Naevius, of being abroad.[5] Köbler also starts with Naevius, whom he dates c. 235–200 BC.[2]

Semantic evolution

It meant abroad, of destination, to foreign parts, as in Plautus, of position, in foreign parts, as Cicero, Horace and Livy, and of origin, from abroad, as in Plautus.[5][3]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant abroad, in a strange land.[6] Medieval Latin used it of going on pilgrimage.[7] Its derivative peregrīnus “foreign” is the source of English peregrine.[8]

Timeline

  • c. 235–200 BC – Naevius uses it of being abroad.[5][2]
  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of going and coming from abroad.[5][2]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it.[3][2]

Meanings

Adverb

  1. Abroad: to, in, or from foreign parts.[5]
  2. (Medieval Latin) On a pilgrimage.[7]

Word family

  • pereger

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  3. ^ a b c Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  4. ^ Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
  5. ^ a b c d e Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  6. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
  7. ^ a b Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
  8. ^ Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
Cite this entry

“Peregre.” Etymologically, 16 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/peregre. Accessed 16 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·