Latin words first recorded in the 2nd century BC

It is from Latin summa (“total, main point”) + -ātim, which the OLD derives from summus (“highest”) with the adverb ending. De Vaan lists it among the derivatives of ⟨summus⟩, which goes back to…

It is formed from Latin sub- + planta with the verbal ending ⟨-ō⟩. Wiktionary instead derives it from the verb plantō (“to plant”). De Vaan traces planta (“sole of the foot”) back to Proto-Italic…

De Vaan, following Weiss, tentatively explains it as inherited from Proto-Italic *soupo- (“on the top, upside down”), inherited from Proto-Indo-European *h₁eup-(o-) (“up, above”). On this view…

It is from Latin tenuis (“thin”) + -ō. De Vaan traces tenuis to Proto-Italic *tn̥(a)u- and Proto-Indo-European *tnh₂-(e)u- (“thin”), remade from a u-stem into an i-stem, and compares Sanskrit तनु…

It is borrowed from Ancient Greek θύννος (thúnnos, “tunny”). Beekes calls the Greek word Mediterranean: it is often compared with a Hebrew word for a big water animal, a comparison Chantraine…

Its origin is uncertain. De Vaan takes the adjective “maimed, lopped” as the starting point, although the noun “trunk, torso” and verbs such as obtruncō (“to cut down”) are recorded earlier, and he…

It is from Latin vehō (“to carry”) + -tor. De Vaan traces vehō to Proto-Italic *weχ-e/o- and Proto-Indo-European *weǵʰ-e/o- (“to carry”). He compares Umbrian arveitu (“to add”) and Sanskrit वहति…

It is formed from Latin vertō (“to turn”) + -bra, with the instrumental suffix -bra; de Vaan lists it among the derivatives of vertō. Etymonline, which gives the derivation with a “perhaps”…

The origin is disputed. The OLD and Wiktionary take it as perhaps from Latin vēscor (“to feed on”), a back-formation, and Georges also calls it related to that verb. De Vaan doubts this, since the…

It is probably a dialect form from Latin vellus (“fleece”). De Vaan lists ⟨vellus⟩ among the derivatives of vellō (“to pluck”), though the connection is disputed. Köbler refers it to Pokorny's root…

Used as an adjective, it is the past participle from Latin abiciō (“to throw away, throw down”). abiciō is a compound of iaciō (“to throw”), which de Vaan traces to Proto-Italic *jak-i- (“to throw”)…

Used as an adjective, it is the present participle from Latin abundō (“to overflow, be plentiful”). De Vaan lists abundō under unda “wave”, which he traces to Proto-Italic *udōr (“water”) and…

It is from Latin ad- + celerō (“to hasten”), from celer (“swift”), which de Vaan traces to Proto-Indo-European *kel-i- (“speeding”).

It is borrowed from Ancient Greek ἄδυτον (áduton, “innermost sanctuary”), the neuter used as a noun of ἄδυτος (ádutos, “not to be entered”). Köbler analyses the Greek word as ἀ- (a-, “not”) and δύω…

It is from Latin ambi- (“around”) + frangō (“to break”), first as an adjective, “bent”, and then as a noun of action made from it. Wiktionary also allows an unattested compound verb ⟨*ānfringō⟩ as…

It is from Latin arma (“arms, weapons”) + potēns (“powerful”), with the connecting vowel ⟨-i-⟩. De Vaan derives arma from Proto-Indo-European *h₂(e)r-mo- (“fitting”), from the root meaning “to…

It is from Latin ab- + volō (“to fly”). That verb goes back to Proto-Italic *gʷela-je/o-; de Vaan, following Muller, finds a derivation from Proto-Indo-European *gʷelh₁- (“to raise the arm, throw”)…

It is from Latin bi- (“two”) + dēns (“tooth”), with the old form ⟨duidēns⟩ recorded in Paulus' epitome of Festus. De Vaan traces bi- to Proto-Indo-European *dwi- (“two”) and dēns to…

It is from Latin cachinnus (“loud laughter”), with the verb ending -ō. The OLD calls the word imitative of the sound of laughter and compares Ancient Greek καγχάζω (kankházō, “to laugh aloud”).

The origin is uncertain. De Vaan reconstructs Proto-Italic *kaln/si- with a question mark. Walde and Hofmann posit ⟨*kalnis⟩ and reject a connection with callum (“hard skin”); de Vaan finds that…

It is borrowed from Ancient Greek χορός (khorós, “dance; band of dancers”).

It is from Latin citō (“to set in motion, summon”), its past participle, used as an adjective. citō is the frequentative of cieō (“to set in motion”), which it replaced in Classical Latin; that verb…

The origin is uncertain. It is usually compared with Ancient Greek κλάζω (klázō, “to make a sharp noise”) and κλαγγή (klangḗ, “a shrill sound”), and with Old Norse hlakka (“to cry out”) and Old…

It is from Latin con- + honestō (“to honour”). De Vaan lists ⟨co(ho)nestāre⟩ among the derivatives of honōs (“honour”), whose ⟨hon-⟩ can hardly go back to anything but Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰon- or…

It is from Latin commūtō (“to change, exchange”) + -tiō. The verb is com- with mūtō (“to change”), which de Vaan, like mūtuus (“borrowed, mutual”), derives from a nominal stem Proto-Italic *moito-…

It is from Latin con- + citō (“to set in motion”), the frequentative of concieō (“to stir up”). De Vaan lists it among the derivatives of cieō (“to set in motion”), which he traces to…

It is from Latin con- + cursō (“to run about”), beside concurrō. The frequentative ⟨cursō⟩ comes from currō (“to run”), which de Vaan traces to Proto-Italic *korse/o- (“to run”) and…

Used as an adjective, it is the present participle from Latin congruō (“to come together, agree”). That verb is a compound of con- and a ⟨-gruō⟩ known only from compounds and one gloss, which de…

It was a religious term. It is usually reconstructed as inherited from Proto-Indo-European *dwei-ro- (“fearful”) (or *dweis-o- (“hated”)), cognate with Sanskrit द्विष् (dvíṣ-, “hatred, enemy”) and…

It is from Latin dis- (“apart”) + crepō (“to rattle, sound”). De Vaan traces crepō to Proto-Italic *krepa- and Proto-Indo-European *ḱrep- (“to rattle, crackle”).

It is borrowed from Ancient Greek ἠχώ (ēkhṓ, “echo”). The Greek noun is from or related to ἠχή (ēkhḗ, “sound”). Etymonline traces it to Proto-Indo-European *(s)wagh- (“to resound”), which it also…

Used as an adjective, it is the past participle from Latin effrēnō (“to unbridle”), a verb made from ex- and frēnum (“bridle”). De Vaan traces frēnum to Proto-Italic *frēno- and, tentatively, to…

It is from Latin ēiulō (“to wail”) + -tus, an action noun. The verb is formed from the interjection ei (“oh!”), apparently on the model of iūbilō “to shout”, according to the TLL and the OLD. Lewis…

It is from Latin ex- + niteō (“to shine”). De Vaan explains niteō as built on a participle *nitos “made bright”, but finds no known Indo-European root that fits its form and meaning.

It is from Latin epulae (“banquet”), a deponent verb. Lewis & Short derive it from epulum (“feast”). De Vaan reconstructs Proto-Italic *ep(V)lo- for epulum, perhaps from Proto-Indo-European…

It is from Latin ex- + vagor (“to wander”). De Vaan lists ⟨vagārī⟩ “to wander, roam” among the derivatives of vagus (“roaming, wandering”), for which he reconstructs Proto-Italic *wago- and, with a…

It is from Latin ex- (“out”) + volō (“to fly”). De Vaan traces volō (“to fly”) to Proto-Italic *gʷela-je/o- and Proto-Indo-European *gʷelh₁-ie/o- (“to raise the arm, throw”).

It is from Latin exsecror (“to curse”) + -bilis. The verb is formed from ex- and sacer (“sacred; accursed”), which goes back to Proto-Italic *sakro- (“sacred”) and Proto-Indo-European *sh₂k-ro-…

It is from Latin ex- + spīrō (“to breathe”). The verb spīrō goes back to Proto-Italic *spīr/s-; de Vaan thinks it may imitate the sound of breathing, and finds no direct cognates.

It is from Latin ex- + ūberō, a compound of the verb made from ūber (“udder; abundant”). De Vaan lists it under the noun, which goes back to Proto-Italic *ouþ-r- and Proto-Indo-European *h₁ouHdʰ-r…

Used as an adjective, it is the perfect passive participle from Latin fīgō (“to fix, fasten”). De Vaan calls it a secondary participle of the verb. He traces fīgō to Proto-Indo-European *dʰeigʷ-e/o-…

It is from Latin frangō (“to break”) + -ilis, from Proto-Italic *fragelis according to Wiktionary. De Vaan derives ⟨frangō⟩ from Proto-Italic *frang-, a nasal present Proto-Indo-European *bʰr-n-ǵ-…

It is formed from Latin fulgeō (“to flash, shine”) + -or. De Vaan calls it a recent derivative following the productive pattern, and derives the verb from Proto-Italic *folg-e/o- (“to shine”) and…

It is borrowed from Ancient Greek γλαυκός (glaukós, “gleaming; bluish-grey”). Köbler notes that the further origin of the Greek word is unclear. Etymonline explains that Homer used it of the…

It is from Latin grātus (“pleasing, thankful”) + -or, a verb made from the adjective. The TLL suggests that dactylic poets may have formed it, for the metre, in place of the older grātulor (“to…

It is from Latin humilis (“low, humble”) + -tās. De Vaan lists humilis among the derivatives of humus (“earth, ground”), which he traces to Proto-Italic *χomo- and Proto-Indo-European *dʰǵʰ-ōm…

It is from Latin incurrō (“to run against”) + -tiō. incurrō is a compound of currō “to run”, which de Vaan traces to Proto-Italic *korse/o- and Proto-Indo-European *kr̥s-e/o- (“to run”).

It is from Latin īnfirmus (“weak”) + -ō. De Vaan, who dates the verb from Accius, traces firmus (“firm, strong”) to Proto-Italic *fermo- and Proto-Indo-European *dʰer-mo- (“holding”), comparing…

It is from Latin in- (“not”) + tōnsus (“shorn”), the participle of tondeō (“to shear”). De Vaan traces tondeō to Proto-Italic *tond-eje- and Proto-Indo-European *tond-eie- (“to shear”), comparing…

It is from Latin in- (“not”) + vīsitātus (“seen, visited”), the negative of the participle of vīsitō. That verb goes back to videō (“to see”), which de Vaan traces to Proto-Italic *wid-ē- and…

It is formed from Latin langueō (“to be faint, weak”) + -idus. De Vaan takes the verb from an adjective Proto-Italic *slangu- (“faint, weak”), a nasalised form of the root of laxus (“loose”)…

It is probably borrowed from Ancient Greek λάταξ (látax, “drop of wine”), with the Greek ending changed to ⟨-ex⟩ to fit the Latin nouns in ⟨-ex⟩. The Thesaurus connects the Greek word with the game…

It is from Latin lātrō (“to bark”) + -tus, a verbal noun of the fourth declension. De Vaan derives that verb from ⟨*lātro-⟩ “barking”, going back to Proto-Italic *lātro- (“barking”) and…

It is a denominative verb from Latin locuplēs (“wealthy”) + -ō. De Vaan traces the second part of that adjective to Proto-Italic *-plē-t- and Proto-Indo-European *-pleh₁-t-, from the root of plēnus…

It is from Latin lūx (“light”) + -fer (“bearing”), and Wiktionary takes it as a calque of Ancient Greek Φωσφόρος (Phōsphóros). Cicero says that the star of Venus called ⟨Phosphoros⟩ in Greek is…

The mother of Mercury is borrowed from Ancient Greek Μαῖα (Maîa), a name connected with μαῖα (maîa, “little mother, nurse, midwife”). The origin of the Roman goddess of the same name, honoured in…

De Vaan reconstructs inherited from Proto-Italic *mōlo- (“labour, effort”) beside an s-stem ⟨*mel-e/os-⟩ “trouble”, seen in molestus (“troublesome”), and thinks the noun replaced an old root noun…

It is formed from Latin ne- (“not”) + fās (“divine law, what is right”), probably from a phrase ⟨*ne fās est⟩ “it is not right”. De Vaan derives fās from Proto-Italic *faos and Proto-Indo-European…

It is inherited from Proto-Italic *sningʷ- (“to snow”), inherited from Proto-Indo-European *sneigʷʰ-e/o- (“to snow”). De Vaan also reconstructs a Proto-Italic present *sneiwe/o- and regards the…

The origin is disputed. Lewis & Short derive it from oblinō (“to smear over”), and Wiktionary from its participle ⟨oblitus⟩, influenced by littera (“letter”); Etymonline takes it directly from ob-…