Latin words first recorded in the 3rd century BC

It is formed from Latin num (“interrogative particle”) + quid (“anything”). De Vaan traces ⟨num⟩ to Proto-Italic *num (“now”) and Proto-Indo-European *nu (“now”), cognate with Ancient Greek νῦν…

The OLD analyses it as from Latin nunc + -per, with the stem ⟨nu-⟩ and the ending of semper; Köbler compares Proto-Indo-European *nū- (“now”). L&S explained it as standing for ⟨*novum-per⟩, from…

It is formed from Latin ne- (“not”) + usquam (“anywhere”). De Vaan takes usquam as probably ⟨*us⟩, an extended form of ut (“as, so that”), with the indefinite -quam.

It is a frequentative verb in ⟨-tō⟩ from Latin *nuō (“to nod”), which survives only in compounds such as abnuō and annuō. That verb goes back to Proto-Italic *nowō and Proto-Indo-European *new- (“to…

It is from Latin nūtrīx (“wet nurse”) + -ō, a verb formed from the noun. It sits beside nūtriō (“to suckle, nourish”), from which nūtrīx itself is formed.

1. The suffix for nouns of agent and for names is inherited from Proto-Indo-European *-ō, oblique *-on-, perhaps merged with “Hoffmann's suffix” *-h₃ō, a connection Wiktionary calls controversial…

The OLD analyses it as from Latin ob- + dūrus (“hard”) + -ēscō, the inchoative suffix, the TLL as the same prefix with dūrēscō (“to harden”), and VOLI derives it from obdūrō (“to be persistent”). De…

It is from Latin ob- + dūrō (“to harden; to endure”). The simple verb is formed from dūrus (“hard”), which de Vaan derives from Proto-Italic *dūro- and Proto-Indo-European *du(e)h2-ro- (“far…

It is formed from Latin ob- (“towards, against”) + eō (“to go”). De Vaan traces eō to Proto-Italic *ei- and Proto-Indo-European *h₁ey- (“to go”), and notes the Ennian form ⟨obīnunt⟩.

It is formed from Latin obiciō (“to throw in the way”), "that which is put in front". That verb is a compound of ob- and iaciō (“to throw”), which de Vaan traces to Proto-Italic *jak-i- (“to throw”)…

It is a frequentative from Latin obiciō (“to throw in front of”). ⟨obiciō⟩ is from ob- and iaciō (“to throw”), which de Vaan derives from Proto-Indo-European *(H)ieh₁- (“to throw, let go”), cognate…

It is from Latin ob- (“against”) + iūrgō (“to quarrel, scold”). De Vaan derives iūrgō, with Plautus' form ⟨iūrigō⟩, from a noun *iūrago-, from Proto-Italic *ious-ago-, “bringing the oath”, a…

It is from Latin ob- + lactō (“to allure, entice”), with the vowel weakened as in dēlectō (“to delight”). De Vaan derives lactō from the stem of laciō (“to draw, entice”), from Proto-Italic *lak-i-…

It is from Latin ob- + linō (“to smear”). De Vaan traces ⟨linō⟩ to Proto-Italic *lina- (“to smear”) and a nasal present Proto-Indo-European *h2li-n-H- (“to smear”), cognate with Welsh llynu (“to…

It is from Latin ob- + loquor (“to speak”), literally “to speak against”. loquor goes back to Proto-Italic *(t)lokʷ-e/o- and Proto-Indo-European *tlokʷ- (“to talk”).

It is formed from Latin obnoxius + -ōsus.

It seems to come from the phrase ⟨ob noxam esse⟩, “to be liable for an offence”, from Latin ob (“on account of”) + noxa (“harm, offence”). De Vaan gives the usual explanation from ⟨ob noxiam esse⟩…

It is from Latin oboediō (“to obey”), its present participle used as an adjective. De Vaan explains oboediō together with audiō (“to hear”) from an Italic compound of Proto-Indo-European *h₂eu-is…

It is from Latin ob- + orior (“to rise”). De Vaan traces orior to Proto-Italic *or-i- (“to rise”) and Proto-Indo-European *h₃r-i- (“to rise”), comparing Umbrian ortom est (“has arisen”) and Hittite…

It is from Latin ob- + rēpō (“to creep”). De Vaan traces rēpō to Proto-Italic *rēp-e/o- and Proto-Indo-European *h₁reh₁p- (“to creep”), or a root with long ⟨ē⟩, comparing Lithuanian rėplióti (“to…

It is from Latin ob- + saepiō (“to fence in”), also spelled ⟨obsēp-⟩ and ⟨obsīp-⟩. De Vaan lists saepiō among the derivatives of saepēs (“hedge, fence”).

It is from Latin obscūrus (“dark”) + -ō. De Vaan traces obscūrus to Proto-Italic *skoi-ro- and perhaps Proto-Indo-European *skoh₂-i-ro- (“dark, shady”), comparing Old Norse skírr (“clear, bright”)…

It is from Latin obsequor (“to comply with, humour”), its present participle used as an adjective. That verb is a compound of sequor (“to follow”), which de Vaan traces to Proto-Italic *sekʷ-e/o-…

It is formed from Latin obsequium + -ōsus, an adjective “full of compliance”. The TLL compares imperiōsus from imperium. Obsequium “compliance” is from obsequor (“to yield, comply”), a compound of…

It is from Latin obsideō (“to sit at; to besiege”) + -tor, also spelled ⟨ops-⟩. The verb is a compound of ob- and sedeō (“to sit”), which goes back to Proto-Italic *sed-ē- and Proto-Indo-European…

It is from Latin obsideō (“to besiege”) + -ium, formed like praesidium. obsideō is a compound of sedeō (“to sit”), which de Vaan traces to Proto-Italic *sed-ē- (“to be seated”) and…

It is formed from Latin ob- + sīgnō (“to mark, seal”). De Vaan derives ⟨sīgnum⟩, from which the verb comes, from Proto-Italic *sekno- (“statue, sign”), from the root of secō (“to cut”): “what is…

It is formed from Latin obstō (“to stand in front of, stand opposite”) + -trīx, the agent suffix of women. Etymonline explains it as the woman who stands opposite the mother giving birth. The TLL…

It is formed from Latin ob- + *stanō, an unattested verb related to stō (“to stand”). De Vaan explains the base as the old nasal present Proto-Italic *sta-n-e/o- (“to place”), from…

It is formed from Latin ob- (“around, against”) + stringō (“to tie, draw tight”). De Vaan explains the senses of ⟨stringō⟩ as a merger of two PIE roots, and notes that all its compounds have the…

It is from Latin ob- + stupēscō (“to become amazed”), the inchoative of stupeō (“to be stunned”). De Vaan traces that verb to Proto-Italic *stup-ē- and Proto-Indo-European *stup-eh₁- (“to hit…

It is a compound from Latin ob- (“against”) + sum (“to be”). De Vaan lists it among the derivatives of ⟨sum⟩, which goes back to Proto-Italic *es- and Proto-Indo-European *h₁es- (“to be”).

It is from Latin ob- + tegō (“to cover”). De Vaan traces tegō to Proto-Italic *teg-e/o- (“to cover”) and Proto-Indo-European *(s)teg-e/o- (“to cover”). He compares Old Irish teg (“house”), Ancient…

It is from Latin ob- + temperō (“to restrain oneself, moderate”). De Vaan derives ⟨temperō⟩ from tempus (“time”), originally Proto-Italic *tempos- (“stretch, measure”), from Proto-Indo-European…

It is from Latin ob- + tangō (“to touch”), with the vowel weakened in the compound. De Vaan traces tangō to Proto-Indo-European *th₂-n-g- (“to touch”), cognate with Ancient Greek τεταγών (tetagṓn…

It is from Latin ob- + torqueō (“to twist”). De Vaan traces torqueō to Proto-Italic *torkʷ-eie- (“to twist”) and Proto-Indo-European *torkʷ-eie- (“to make twist”), a causative verb. Cognate with…

It is from Latin obtrectō (“to disparage”) + -tiō. The OLD analyses that verb as ob- and tractō (“to handle”), and de Vaan derives the latter from the participle of trahō (“to draw, drag”).

It is from Latin ob- + truncō (“to lop, maim”). The TLL derives it from ob and truncus. De Vaan thinks the oldest form of this word was an adjective, maimed or stripped of branches or head, and…

It is from Latin ob- (“against, upon”) + tundō (“to beat, strike”). The verb tundō goes back to Proto-Italic *(s)tund-e/o- (“to thrust”) and Proto-Indo-European *(s)tu-n-d- (“to thrust”), a nasal…

It is from Latin ob- (“against, in the way”) + turbō (“to disturb”). De Vaan lists it among the derivatives of turba (“turmoil, crowd”), whose origin is uncertain: he finds a link with Sanskrit…

It is from Latin ob- + vertō (“to turn”). vertō goes back to Proto-Italic *wertō and Proto-Indo-European *wert- (“to turn”).

It is from Latin ob- + caecō (“to make blind”), a verb formed from caecus (“blind”). De Vaan traces the adjective to Proto-Italic *kaiko- and Proto-Indo-European *keh₂i-ko- (“one-eyed”), noting that…

It is from Latin ob- + capiō (“to take”), formed like incipiō (“to begin”). De Vaan traces capiō to Proto-Italic *kap-i- and either Proto-Indo-European *kh₂p-i- or a non-Indo-European ⟨*kap-i-⟩, “to…

It is from Latin occa (“harrow”), although the verb is recorded long before the noun, which appears only in Late Latin texts and glosses. The TLL therefore hesitates to derive it from that noun and…

It is from Latin ob- + cubō (“to lie”). De Vaan reconstructs the simple verb as Proto-Italic *kubā̆je/o- (“to be lying”) and considers its Indo-European origin uncertain.

It is the frequentative from Latin occulō (“to cover over, hide”) + -tō on the participle ⟨occultus⟩. De Vaan explains ⟨occulō⟩ as ob with a verb ⟨*kele-⟩, from Proto-Italic *kele/o- and…

It is from Latin occulō (“to hide”), its perfect passive participle, used as an adjective. De Vaan derives occulō from ob- and Proto-Italic *kele/o-, from Proto-Indo-European *ḱel-e/o- (“to hide”)…

It is from Latin occupō (“to seize, occupy”), its perfect participle, used as an adjective. The verb is formed from ob- and the stem of capiō (“to take”), which de Vaan traces to Proto-Italic *kapi-…

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

It is a diminutive from Latin oculus (“eye”) + -ellus. De Vaan derives ⟨oculus⟩ from Proto-Italic *ok(e)lo- and Proto-Indo-European *h₃e/okʷ-(e)lo- (“eye”), a formation that is probably Latin rather…

It is inherited from Proto-Italic *oktāwo- (“eighth”), inherited from Proto-Indo-European *h3ḱt(e)h3-uó- (“eighth”), from Proto-Indo-European *h3(e)ḱtéh3 (“eight”), the source of octō. The ⟨ā⟩ is…

It is inherited from Proto-Italic *oktō (“eight”), inherited from Proto-Indo-European *h₃(e)ḱtéh₃ (“eight”). Cognate with Old Irish ocht (“eight”), Welsh wyth (“eight”), Sanskrit अष्टौ (aṣṭáu…

It is from Latin octō (“eight”) + -gintā, formed like trīgintā. Wiktionary traces it to Proto-Indo-European *oktōḱomt, from earlier Proto-Indo-European *oḱto(w)-dḱomt (“eight tens”). De Vaan takes…

It is from Latin octō (“eight”) + -nus, the distributive numeral of the series “one each, two each…”. Priscian already lists it among the distributives.

It is from Latin odium (“hatred”) + -ōsus. The noun odium belongs with ōdī (“I hate”), going back to Proto-Italic *odiom (“hatred”) and Proto-Indo-European *h₃ed- (“to hate”). Cognate with Ancient…

It is inherited from Proto-Italic *odio- (“hatred”), inherited from Proto-Indo-European *h₃e/od-io- (“hatred”), from the same root as the verb ōdī “I hate”, which continues a perfect. Wiktionary…

It is from Latin odor (“smell”) + -ō. De Vaan traces odor to Proto-Italic *odōs (“odour”) and the root Proto-Indo-European *h3ed- (“to smell”). Cognate with Ancient Greek ὄζω (ózō, “to smell”) and…

It is a syncopated form of opificium “work-doing”, from Latin ops (“power, resources”) + faciō (“to do, make”) + -ium. The TLL accepts this but notes that there is no parallel for the loss of i…

It is from Latin ob- + firmō (“to make firm”). That verb is formed from firmus (“firm”), which de Vaan traces to Proto-Italic *fermo- and Proto-Indo-European *dher-mo- (“holding”).

It is from Latin ob- + fundō (“to pour”). De Vaan traces fundō to Proto-Italic *χund- and Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰu-n-d- (“to pour”), with cognates such as Sanskrit जुहोति (juhóti, “pours…