Etymologically

1100s

Latin words first recorded in the 12th century

68 Latin words whose earliest known written record dates from the 12th century, earliest first. Words dated only to part of the century follow the ones with a year.

  1. considerabilis

    1105–1186

    It is from Latin cōnsīderō (“to look at closely, observe”) + -bilis.

  2. assignamentum

    1107

    It is from Latin assīgnō (“to assign, allot”) + -mentum, a medieval noun made from the verb.

  3. associatio

    1115

    It is from Latin associō (“to join with, associate”) + -tiō, a noun of action from the verb.

  4. bisonium

    1115

    It is borrowed from Italian bisogno (“need”). Wiktionary traces the Romance word to Vulgar Latin *bisonium, from Frankish *bisunnija, formed from *bi- (“be-”) and *sunnija, from Proto-Germanic…

  5. praesidentialis

    1118

    It is from Latin praesidentia (“presidency”) + -ālis, a derivative of praesideō (“to preside over”).

  6. residentia

    1122

    It is Medieval Latin, from Latin residēns (“residing, remaining”) + -ia. residēns is the present participle of resideō (“to remain seated, stay behind”), a compound of sedeō (“to sit”), which de…

  7. bannalis

    1123

    It is from Latin bannus (“ban, jurisdiction”) + -ālis.

  8. hercia

    1125–1150

    It is from Old French herce (“harrow”), the Old French word, which Köbler traces to Vulgar Latin *herpice and Latin irpex (“a kind of harrow”). Niermeyer and the DMLBS likewise derive it ultimately…

  9. successivus

    1125

    It is from Latin succēdō (“to follow, succeed”), formed on its past participle stem ⟨success-⟩ with the suffix -īvus.

  10. focalis

    1129–1152

    It is from Latin focus (“hearth, fireplace”) + -ālis.

  11. consecutivus

    1130–1170

    It is from Latin cōnsequor (“to follow, ensue”) + -īvus, built on the past participle stem ⟨cōnsecūt-⟩.

  12. minera

    1130

    It is from Latin mina (“ore, mine”). The DMLBS compares Anglo-Norman minere, Middle English minere and Old French miniere; Wiktionary takes it as probably from Middle French miniere, formed from Old…

  13. characteristicus

    1133–1167

    It is borrowed from Ancient Greek χαρακτηριστικός (kharaktēristikós, “characteristic”). Köbler places it with charactēr (“mark, character”).

  14. alchemia

    1144

    It is borrowed from Arabic الْكِيمِيَاء (al-kīmiyāʔ), from Ancient Greek χυμεία (khumeía). Etymonline calls the Greek word of uncertain origin and mentions an old name for Egypt, “land of black…

  15. rubinus

    1145

    It is from Latin rubeus (“red”) + -īnus, a medieval coinage; Etymonline gives the phrase ⟨rubinus lapis⟩ “red stone”. The DMLBS instead takes it from Old French rubin. The base rubeus is related to…

  16. installo

    1148

    It is a Medieval Latin verb, from Latin in- (“in”) + stallum (“stall, seat in a choir”). The noun is usually taken as from Frankish *stall (“stall, stable”); Wiktionary also allows a derivation…

  17. anarchia

    1149–1151

    It is borrowed from Ancient Greek ἀναρχία (anarkhía, “lack of a leader”), from ἄναρχος (ánarkhos, “without a leader”), made of ἀν- (an-, “not”) and ἀρχή (arkhḗ, “power, rule”).

  18. epidemicus

    1150–1199

    It is from Latin epidēmia + -icus.

  19. horarius

    1150

    It is from Latin hōra (“hour”) + -ārius.

  20. notificatio

    1150

    It is from Latin nōtificō + -tiō, the action noun of the verb meaning “to make known”. That verb is formed from nōtus (“known”).

  21. commissarius

    1152–1190

    It is from Latin commissum (“something entrusted”) + -ārius, from committō (“to entrust”). Conte calls it a medieval Latin word.

  22. individualis

    1157–1158

    It is from Latin indīviduum (“an individual”) + -ālis, a Medieval Latin formation. Köbler and Etymonline refer it to the adjective indīviduus (“indivisible”), which is in- with dīviduus…

  23. eccentricus

    1160

    It is from Latin eccentrus (“off-centre”) + -icus. The Late Latin adjective ⟨eccentrus⟩, found in Chalcidius around AD 300, is from Ancient Greek ἔκκεντρος (ékkentros, “out of the centre”), from ἐκ…

  24. qualifico

    1160

    It is from Latin quālis (“of what kind”) + -ficō, formed like the classical magnificō.

  25. integralis

    1163

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

  26. adaptatio

    1165

    It is from Latin adaptō (“to fit, adjust”) + -tiō, a noun of action made from the verb.

  27. legendarius

    1165

    It is from Latin legenda (“legend, a saint's life to be read”) + -ārius.

  28. recordum

    1166

    According to the DMLBS it is borrowed from Anglo-Norman record (also ⟨recorde⟩), the noun from Old French recorder (“to tell, recall”), which goes back to Latin recordor (“to remember”). Köbler…

  29. renegatus

    1166

    It is from Medieval Latin renegō (“to deny, renounce”), the noun use of its past participle. The verb is formed from re- and negō (“to deny, refuse”). The verb is reconstructed for Proto-Romance…

  30. legatia

    1167

    It is a medieval formation from Latin lēgō (“to send as an envoy”), belonging with lēgātus (“envoy, legate”); Du Cange treats it as the same word as lēgātiō.

  31. verumdictum

    1168

    It is from Latin vērus (“true”) + dictum (“something said”), literally “a true saying”. The DMLBS sets beside it Anglo-Norman veirdit and Middle English verdit.

  32. portalis

    1173

    It is from Latin porta (“gate”), with the adjective suffix -ālis. The noun portāle (“gateway”) is its neuter used as a noun.

  33. guardianus

    1174

    It is from Medieval Latin guardia (“guard, custody”) (also ⟨wardia⟩), with the suffix -ānus, according to the MLW, which compares Italian guardiano and Old French gardien. Köbler derives it from…

  34. recepta

    1178

    It is from Latin recipiō (“to take back, receive”), a noun use of the feminine of its past participle, “something received”. The Italian ricetta (“recipe”) continues it.

  35. renta

    1180

    According to Etymonline it is, like Old French rente, from Vulgar Latin *rendita, the noun use of the feminine past participle of *rendō (“to give back, render”). Köbler likewise refers it to…

  36. poenalitas

    1182

    It is a Medieval Latin formation, from Latin poenālis + -tās, from poena (“penalty, punishment”), itself a borrowing from Ancient Greek ποινή (poinḗ).

  37. avantagium

    1184

    It is borrowed from Old French avantage (“advantage, profit”), from avant (“before”), which goes back to Latin abante (“from before”). Etymonline suggests that the French word may have passed…

  38. pilorium

    1184

    The origin is uncertain. The word belongs together with Old French pilori (“pillory”), which is attested from the mid-12th century. Etymonline reports the proposal that it is a diminutive of pila…

  39. festivalis

    1186

    It is formed from Latin fēstīvus (“festive, joyous”) + -ālis, from fēstus (“festive”). Etymonline derives it from fēstum (“feast, holiday”).

  40. oriolum

    1186

    The origin is unclear. Etymonline mentions a possible source in Vulgar Latin *auraeolum, a dissimilated form of Latin aulaeolum, the diminutive of aulaeum (“curtain”).

  41. stuppo

    1190

    Niermeyer and the DMLBS derive it from stuppa (“tow, coarse flax”), the material used to plug gaps: from Latin stuppa + -ō. The DMLBS compares Classical stīpō (“to pack tight”), Old English…

  42. carpita

    1192

    It is from Latin carpō (“to pluck; to card”). Etymonline gives it as Medieval Latin or Old Italian, probably from the Latin verb, and explains the name by the cloth being made from unravelled…

  43. coteria

    1197

    It is from Latin cota (“hut, cottage”), which Köbler traces to Old English cot (“hut, small house”). The DMLBS compares Old French coterie. Du Cange treats it as the same as cotagium.

  44. pastum

    1197

    It is from Latin pasta (“dough, paste”), made neuter. The DMLBS treats the three forms in one article and traces them, through Late Latin, to Ancient Greek παστά (pastá) or πάστη (pástē).

  45. defalta

    1198

    It is from Vulgar Latin *dēfallō (“to be lacking, fail”), a medieval compound of dē- and fallō (“to deceive; to escape notice”). Etymonline reconstructs a Vulgar Latin participle *dēfallita…

  46. installatio

    1198–1216

    It is from Latin installō (“to install in an office”) + -tiō, a Medieval Latin word. The verb is formed from in- and stallum (“stall”), a word of Germanic origin, the seat in the choir into which a…

  47. petroleum

    1198

    It is formed from Latin petra (“rock”) + oleum (“oil”), “rock oil”, in Medieval Latin. Wiktionary calls it a blend of petra and oleum. Petra is borrowed from Ancient Greek πέτρα (pétrā, “rock”), and…

  48. respectivus

    1198–1216

    It is Medieval Latin, from Latin respiciō (“to look back at; to regard”), formed on its perfect participle ⟨respectus⟩ with the suffix -īvus.

  49. sirupus

    1198–1216

    It is borrowed from Arabic شراب (šarāb, “drink”), from the Arabic verb meaning “to drink”. Old French sirop has the same Arabic source.

  50. quaesta

    1199

    It is a medieval noun from Latin quaerō (“to seek, ask”). The eLexicon Polonorum connects it with quaestus. Etymonline explains the Medieval Latin spelling ⟨questa⟩, “search, inquiry”, as an…

  51. amorosus

    1200–1299

    It is formed from Latin amor (“love”) + -ōsus (“full of”). Wiktionary takes the medieval word, which appears from the thirteenth century, to be borrowed from the Romance languages, where Vulgar…

  52. analysis

    1200–1299

    It is borrowed from Ancient Greek ἀνάλυσις (análusis, “a loosening, resolution”), from ἀναλύω (analúō, “to unloose; to analyse”), from ἀνά (aná, “up, back”) and λύω (lúō, “to loosen”).

  53. assassinus

    1200

    It is borrowed from Arabic حَشَّاشِين (ḥaššāšīn), the plural of حَشِيشِيّ (ḥašīšiyy), an Arabic nickname for the Nizari Ismaili sect, made from the word that gave hashish. Etymonline takes the…

  54. cenit

    1200

    It is borrowed from Arabic سَمْت (samt, “direction, path”), badly transcribed. The Arabic term was the phrase سمت الرأس (samt ar-raʾs, “direction of the head”), of which the Latin word keeps only…

  55. coincido

    1200–1299

    It is from Latin con- + incidō (“to fall into or upon”), “to fall upon together”.

  56. correspondeo

    1200–1299

    It is a Medieval Latin compound, from Latin con- + respondeō (“to answer”).

  57. decisivus

    1200–1299

    It is from Latin dēcīdō (“to cut off; to decide”), a Medieval Latin formation on its past participle stem ⟨dēcīs-⟩ with the suffix -īvus.

  58. democraticus

    1200–1299

    It is borrowed from Ancient Greek δημοκρατικός (dēmokratikós, “of or for democracy”), from δημοκρατία (dēmokratía, “popular government”). The word was taken into Medieval Latin, beside dēmocratia.

  59. directivus

    1200–1299

    It is a Medieval Latin adjective from Latin dīrigō (“to direct, guide, steer”) + -īvus, built on the participle dīrēctus.

  60. diversifico

    1200–1299

    It is from Latin dīversus (“different, various”) + -ficō. The DMLBS compares Late Latin dīversificus.

All Latin words by century →