Latin words first recorded in the 3rd century BC

1. The broth is inherited from Proto-Indo-European *yewHs (“soup, broth”), an old s-stem. Cognate with Sanskrit यूष् (yū́ṣ, “soup, broth”), Lithuanian jū́šė (“broth, soup”) and Russian уха (uxá…

It is inherited from Proto-Italic *juwen- (“young”), inherited from Proto-Indo-European *h₂iu-h₁en- (“having vital force, young”), an n-stem later made into an i-stem. The comparative iūnior is…

Its origin is unclear, but it was an ablative form. De Vaan explains the preserved cluster /kst/ by syncope from ⟨*iūgVstād⟩, ablative of an adjective ⟨*iūgVsto-⟩, perhaps “yoked”, from…

It is inherited from Proto-Italic *labjo-, beside labrum “lip”. Cognate with Old English lippa (“lip”), Old High German lefs (“lip”) and English lip, from Proto-Germanic *lepjan-. De Vaan notes that…

It is from Latin labor (“work”) + -ōsus, and Wiktionary suggests the ⟨i⟩ came by analogy with pairs such as cūra : cūriōsus.

It is from Latin labor (“toil”) + -ō, the verbal suffix.

It is from Latin laciō (“to entice”) + -essō, the intensive suffix. De Vaan reconstructs Proto-Italic ⟨*lak-i-⟩ “to draw, pull”, and Walde and Hofmann connected it with ⟨*lakʷ-⟩, the root of laqueus…

It is inherited from Proto-Italic *laku-, inherited from Proto-Indo-European *lok-u- (“lake, pool”); the /a/ may come from unrounding after a velarized /l/. Cognate with Old Irish loch (“lake”)…

Its origin is uncertain. Pokorny connected Greek and Baltic words, but de Vaan finds the link with Ancient Greek λίστρον (lístron, “spade”) very uncertain and the Baltic words better explained…

The only serious proposal connects it with lātus “wide”, from *stlātos, through a form from Proto-Italic *stlāmen-. The Oxford Latin Dictionary calls it doubtful.

It is from Latin lapis (“stone”) + -ārius, from the stem ⟨lapid-⟩. De Vaan reconstructs ⟨lapis⟩ as Proto-Italic ⟨*la/eped-⟩, compares Umbrian ⟨vapeře⟩ “stone seat” and Ancient Greek λέπας (lépas…

The origin is uncertain. Walde–Hofmann and Pokorny derived it from *lajes-ago- “carrying fat”, with the stem they also saw in lāridum “bacon” and perhaps laetus. De Vaan finds this doubtful: the…

The origin is uncertain. The OLD and Lewis & Short compare Ancient Greek λαρινός (larinós, “fattened”). De Vaan notes that an explanation as ⟨*lajes-idos⟩, related to largus, would normally give…

The origin is uncertain. De Vaan finds a link with Lār, the household god, through an older form *lās-, attractive in meaning, though the difference in vowel length is unexplained. The OLD compares…

It is inherited from Proto-Italic *lasso-, inherited from Proto-Indo-European *lh₁d-to- (“tired”), a verbal adjective of the root Proto-Indo-European *leh₁d-, a d-enlargement of Proto-Indo-European…

It is a stative verb inherited from Proto-Italic *latē-, formed from *latos “hidden”, inherited from Proto-Indo-European *l̥h₂-tó- (“hidden”), from the root *leh₂- “to hide”. Cognate with Ancient…

Its origin is uncertain. De Vaan suggests that if its first meaning was “piece, part”, it may be cognate with latus “side”, and the OLD compares latus and lāmina “plate”. Lewis and Short connected…

It is formed from Latin latrō (“mercenary, robber”) + -cinium, or from the verb latrōcinor “to rob, serve for pay”. The OLD derives latrō probably from a Ancient Greek *λάτρων (*látrōn), comparing…

1. The adjective goes back to Old Latin stlātus, recorded by Festus, inherited from Proto-Italic *slāto-, but its origin is uncertain. It was long derived from a root *stelH- “to spread”, comparing…

It is from Latin laureus (“of laurel”), its feminine, from laurus “laurel”, used as a noun.

Its origin is unknown, and the TLL says it is surely a foreign word. Köbler takes it as a borrowing from an unknown Aegean or Anatolian language, and Wiktionary and Etymonline relate it to Ancient…

It is from Proto-Italic *lekto- (“bed”), from the root Proto-Indo-European *legʰ- (“to lie down”), perhaps a noun *legʰ-tu- or a participle meaning “lain upon”. Cognate with Ancient Greek λέχος…

It is from Latin lēnis (“soft, gentle”) + -iō, the verb suffix. De Vaan traces ⟨lēnis⟩ to Proto-Indo-European *leh₁-n- (“lazy, slow”) and compares Lithuanian lė́nas (“lazy”) and Old Church Slavonic…

It is from Latin lēnis (“soft, gentle”) + -ter, an adverb. De Vaan traces ⟨lēnis⟩ to Proto-Italic *lēni-, from Proto-Indo-European *leh₁-n(o/i)- (“lazy, slow”), keeping the connection with…

Its origin is unknown. Walde and Hofmann and Leumann took the feminine lēna “bawd” as older, but de Vaan sees no sign of this in the texts. He suggests the different suffixes may continue an n-stem…

It is inherited from Proto-Italic *lento- (“soft”), inherited from Proto-Indo-European *lent-o- (“soft, pliant”). Cognate with Lithuanian lentà (“board”) and dialectal Russian лут (lut, “bast”), and…

Its origin is uncertain. It has been compared with Ancient Greek λέπω (lépō, “to peel”) and Ancient Greek λεπτός (leptós, “peeled; fine, delicate”), from Proto-Indo-European *lep- (“to peel”). De…

It is inherited from Proto-Italic *lēto-, perhaps inherited from Proto-Indo-European *leh₁-to-, a participle “let go” used as a noun, “letting go”, then “death”. It would then be the same formation…

1. It is inherited from Proto-Italic *leχu-, inherited from Proto-Indo-European *h₁legʷʰ-u- (“light”). De Vaan notes two forms of the root, with and without a nasal, and Latin continues the one…

1. It is from Latin levis (“light in weight”) + -ō. The adjective is from Proto-Italic *leχu-, from Proto-Indo-European *h₁legʷʰ-u- (“light”), cognate with Sanskrit रघु (raghú, “fleet”), Ancient…

It is the diminutive from Latin liber (“book”) + -lus. Liber first meant the bark of a tree; de Vaan derives it from Proto-Italic *lufro-, Proto-Indo-European *lubʰ-ro- (“leaf, rind”).

It is from Latin līber (“free”) + -ālis. Līber continues Old Latin loeber and Proto-Italic *louðeros, from Proto-Indo-European *h₁lewdʰ- (“people”). Isidore of Seville derived the adjective instead…

It is from Latin līberālis (“of a free man, generous”) + -ter, the adverb suffix, ⟨līberālis⟩ being from līber “free”.

It is from Latin līberō (“to set free”) + -tor.

It is from Latin līber (“free”) + -ē, an adverb. De Vaan traces ⟨līber⟩ to Proto-Italic *leuþero-, from Proto-Indo-European *h₁leudʰ-ero- (“belonging to the people”).

It is from Latin līber (“free”), its plural, used as a noun. The OLD notes that the development of the sense “children” is variously explained. De Vaan follows Benveniste, who explains it from legal…

It is from Latin līber (“free”).

It is from Latin lībertus (“freedman”) + -īnus. The TLL notes that it first meant the son of a freedman. Lībertus is from līber “free”, from Proto-Italic *leuþ-ero-, Proto-Indo-European *h₁leudʰ-ero-.

It is inherited from Proto-Italic *luf-ē- (“to desire”), inherited from Proto-Indo-European *lubʰ-éh₁- (“to please”), from the root Proto-Indo-European *lewbʰ- (“to love, desire”). The older form…

It is formed from Latin līmus (“transverse, oblique”) + -men (from the base of ⟨līmus⟩), first a crossbar. līmes “boundary” is from the same base. The Thesaurus is less certain of the link.

It is probably from Latin līmus (“sideways, oblique”) + -es (“going”), as a cross-path. It is related to līmen “threshold”. De Vaan finds none of the outside cognates proposed for līmus convincing.

1. It is inherited from Proto-Italic *(s)le/oimo-. De Vaan allows two sources: Proto-Indo-European *loimo- (“loam”), from *h₂li- “to smear”, as in Old English lām (“loam”) and Old High German leim…

It is from Latin līneus (“of flax”), its feminine, from līnum “flax”. It is also spelled ⟨līnia⟩. Isidore says it is so called because it is made of flax.

It is from Latin līnea (“line”) + -ō.

It is inherited from Proto-Italic *lingō, from the nasal present Proto-Indo-European *li-n-ǵʰ- (“to lick”) of the root *leyǵʰ-. Cognate with Ancient Greek λείχω (leíkhō, “to lick”), Sanskrit लेढि…

It is a stative verb inherited from Proto-Italic *(w)likw-ē- (“to be liquid”), from Proto-Indo-European *wleykʷ- (“to make moist”). Cognate with Old Irish fliuch (“moist”), Welsh gwlith (“dew”) and…

It is from Latin liqueō (“to be liquid”) + -scō, the inchoative suffix. De Vaan traces ⟨liqueō⟩ to Proto-Italic *(w)likʷ-ē- (“to be liquid”), perhaps from Proto-Indo-European *wleykʷ- (“to make…

It is from Latin liqueō (“to be liquid”) + -idus. The first syllable is usually short, but long in Lucretius.

1. The deponent verb belongs with the stative liqueō “to be liquid” and liquō “to melt”, ultimately inherited from Proto-Indo-European *wleykʷ-, a present *wleykʷti. 2. It is from Latin liqueō (“to…

It is from Latin littera (“letter”) + -ārius.

It is from Latin littera (“letter”) + -ātus. Etymonline notes that in the sense “learned” it imitated Ancient Greek γραμματικός (grammatikós). De Vaan finds no convincing etymology for ⟨littera⟩.

It is inherited from Proto-Italic *lei/ītos, of uncertain origin. De Vaan suggests Proto-Indo-European *leit-os- (“going”), from the root of Gothic 𐌲𐌰𐌻𐌴𐌹𐌸𐌰𐌽 (galeiþan, “to go”) and Tocharian B lita…

It is formed from Latin līveō (“to be bluish”) + -idus, or the verb is a back-formation from it. The base continues Proto-Italic *(s)līwo-, from Proto-Indo-European *(s)l(e/o)iH-wo- (“plum-coloured…

It is from Latin līveō (“to be bluish; to envy”) + -or. Köbler compares Proto-Indo-European *slīwo- (“bluish”).

It is a diminutive from Latin locus (“place”) + -ulus. De Vaan finds the further origin of ⟨locus⟩ (Old Latin ⟨stlocus⟩) unclear.

It is traditionally analysed as from Latin locus (“place”) + *pleō (“to fill”), with the root ⟨plē-⟩, “rich in lands”, as Cicero and Gellius explained it. Wiktionary reports that Nussbaum (2016)…

Its origin is uncertain. It is compared with Ancient Greek εὔληρα (eúlēra, “reins”), Doric αὔληρα (aúlēra), and Old Armenian լար (lar, “cord”). Beekes takes the Greek word as Pre-Greek because of…

It is inherited from Proto-Italic *louko- (“sacred grove”), inherited from Proto-Indo-European *lówk-o- (“light place, clearing”), from the root of lūx “light”. An old inscription has loucom…

1. The bog is related by the OLD and de Vaan to lutum “mud”, with the suffix of mōnstrum; de Vaan reconstructs Proto-Indo-European *l(H)u-(s)tro- (“dirty place”). Lewis & Short and Gaffiot derive it…

It is from *luxuros, related to luxus “excess, luxury”, with the suffix -ia, and has a fifth-declension variant luxuriēs. The TLL says how it is connected with ⟨luxus⟩ is not clear, and Ernout and…