Latin words first recorded in the 3rd century BC

It is formed from Latin rigeō (“to be stiff”) + -idus. De Vaan derives ⟨rigeō⟩ from Proto-Italic *rig-ē- and Proto-Indo-European *Hriǵ-eh₁- (“to be stretched, be stiff”), cognate with Old Irish…

It is inherited from Proto-Italic *rīwo- (“stream”), inherited from Proto-Indo-European *h₃riH-uo- (“whirling”). Cognate with Sanskrit रिणाति (riṇā́ti, “makes flow”), Sanskrit रीयते (rī́yate…

It is from Latin Rōma (“Rome”) + -ānus.

It is from Latin rōstrum (“beak, snout”) + -ātus. De Vaan lists both among the derivatives of rōdō (“to gnaw”), which he traces to Proto-Italic *(w)rōde/o- and Proto-Indo-European *Hreh₃d-e/o- or…

It is inherited from Proto-Italic *ruþro- (“red”), inherited from Proto-Indo-European *h₁rudʰ-ró- (“red”), from the root *h₁rewdʰ- (“red”). rūfus and russus “red” come from the same root. Cognate…

It is inherited from Proto-Italic *russos (“red”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₁rewdʰ- (“red”), the root of ruber. How the double /s/ arose is disputed: Hill, cited by de Vaan, starts from…

It is from Latin sacer (“sacred”) + -ficō from faciō “to make”, and Gaffiot derives it from sacrificus. De Vaan traces ⟨sacer⟩ to Proto-Italic *sakro- (“sacred”), with Oscan ⟨σακορο⟩ and Umbrian…

It is probably the neuter of an adjective ⟨*saepis⟩ “compact, close”, related to saepēs “hedge”.

It is probably borrowed from Gaulish: the OLD calls it Gallic, Lewis & Short note that Polybius gave Ancient Greek σάγος (ságos) as a Celtic word, and Walde and Hofmann considered a loan from…

It is probably borrowed from Ancient Greek σάλος (sálos, “movement of the sea”), as Lewis & Short have it; the OLD compares the Greek word, and Wiktionary gives the borrowing as one explanation…

It is from Latin sapiēns (“wise”) + -ia, from sapiō (“to taste, be wise”). De Vaan traces ⟨sapiō⟩ to Proto-Italic *sap-i-, Proto-Indo-European *sh₁p-i- (“to notice”), with Oscan ⟨sipus⟩ “knowing”…

It is apparently from Latin satur (“full, sated”), its feminine, from the phrase ⟨lanx satura⟩ “a full dish”. The OLD suggests that the dramatic and literary senses may instead be of Etruscan…

It is from Latin scandō (“to climb”) + -la, from ⟨*scand-slā⟩, from Proto-Indo-European *skend-. Hrach Martirosyan connects Old Armenian սանդուղք (sandułkʿ, “ladder”) and posits an Armeno-Italic…

It is borrowed from Ancient Greek σκάρος (skáros, “a sea fish”). Köbler compares the Greek word with the root Proto-Indo-European *sker- (“to move, leap”).

It is borrowed from Ancient Greek σκόπελος (skópelos, “lookout place, peak, rock”). Saalfeld explains the Greek word as a high place from which one can look far around, from σκοπέω (skopéō, “to look…

It seems to be formed from Latin scrūta (“junk, rags”) + -ō, the verbal suffix, its first sense being “to sort rags”. De Vaan reconstructs ⟨scrūta⟩ as Proto-Italic *skrout-, whose further origin is…

It is from Latin sē- (“apart”) + cernō (“to sift, distinguish”). Lucretius has the old infinitive ⟨sēcernier⟩.

It is from Latin sequor (“to follow”), an old participle or gerundive, from Proto-Italic *sekʷondo- (“following”), with the suffix of oriundus. The meanings “favourable, fair” come from a wind or…

It is from Latin sē- (“apart”) + legō (“to gather, choose”).

It is inherited from Proto-Indo-European *sem- (“one”), the root of semper, simplex and singulī. De Vaan reconstructs Proto-Italic ⟨*semali⟩ “alike, together” for simul, and Sihler derives ⟨semel⟩…

It is from Latin sēmi- (“half”) + anima (“breath, life”) + -is, with a second form in ⟨-us⟩. De Vaan traces sēmi- to Proto-Indo-European *sēm-i (“in one”), cognate with Ancient Greek ἡμι- (hēmi-…

It is cognate with Umbrian seritu (“let him watch”) and Avestan haraiti (“watches, guards”). By surface analysis it is servus with the verb suffix -ō, but Rix suggests it began as a denominative of…

The origin is unknown. De Vaan finds no way to connect it with the root of secō “to cut”, and no other etymology, and thinks it may well be a loanword; the OLD compares that verb with a “perhaps”…

It is perhaps from Latin sīca (“dagger”): the OLD compares that noun but marks the origin as doubtful, and de Vaan lists the word among its derivatives. De Vaan finds no way to connect this stem…

It is from Latin silēns (“silent”) + -ium, ⟨silēns⟩ being the present participle of sileō “to be silent”.

It is from Latin socius (“companion, ally”) + -tas. Socius is from Proto-Italic *sokjo-, from Proto-Indo-European *sokʷ-(h₂)-i-o- (“companion”), from the root of sequor “to follow”.

It is formed from Latin sollicitus (“troubled, anxious”) + -ō. De Vaan explains ⟨sollicitus⟩ as “wholly stirred”, from sollus (“whole”) and ⟨citus⟩, the participle of cieō (“to set in motion”)…

It is inherited from Proto-Italic *swepnos, inherited from Proto-Indo-European *swépnos (“sleep”), which regularly became ⟨somnus⟩ through ⟨*swopno-⟩; de Vaan, in view of the Celtic forms, slightly…

It is inherited from Proto-Italic *swonos, inherited from Proto-Indo-European *swónh₂os, from the root *swenh₂- (“to sound”). The verb sonō “to sound” is from the same root. Georges compares…

It is inherited from Proto-Indo-European *swep- (“to sleep”), the root of somnus (“sleep”), but how the verb was formed is disputed. The LIV reconstructs Proto-Indo-European *swṓp-ye-ti, which de…

It is a frequentative from Latin speciō (“to look at”), formed on its participle with the suffix -tō.

It is borrowed from Ancient Greek σπεῖρα (speîra, “coil, twist, wreath”). Köbler and Wiktionary connect it with Proto-Indo-European *sper- (“to twist, turn”).

It is formed from Latin splendeō (“to shine”) + -idus. De Vaan traces splendeō to Proto-Italic *splnd-ē- and Proto-Indo-European *spl̥nd-eh₁- (“to be manifest”), cognate with Old Irish sluindid (“to…

It is formed from Latin spolium (“hide stripped off; spoils”) + -ō. De Vaan traces the noun to Proto-Italic *spoli(o)- (“skin, hide”) and Proto-Indo-European *spol(H)-i(o)- (“what is split or…

It is inherited from Proto-Italic *spoimā- (“foam”), inherited from Proto-Indo-European *spoHi-m- (“foam”). De Vaan explains the forms of the other languages as derivatives in *-m- and *-n- of a…

It is from Latin spūma (“foam”) + -ō. De Vaan traces spūma to Proto-Italic *spoimā- (“foam”) and Proto-Indo-European *spoHi-m- (“foam”), one of several derivatives with ⟨-m-⟩ and ⟨-n-⟩ from the same…

It is from Latin squāleō (“to be rough, be filthy”) + -idus. Etymonline relates it to squālus (“filthy”) and squālor (“filth”), and to a verb meaning to be covered with a rough, stiff layer. Köbler…

1. The adjective meaning “unkempt” has no accepted etymology. De Vaan thinks that the initial sequence ⟨squ-⟩ points to a word that was not inherited. The OLD compares squāma (“scale”), and…

The origin is unknown. De Vaan lists it beside squālus (“filthy”) and its family, for which he finds no etymology, and thinks the sequence ⟨squ-⟩ points to a word that was not inherited. Wiktionary…

It is from Latin stabilis (“firm, steady”) + -iō. Ennius has the syncopated imperfect ⟨stabilībat⟩.

The origin is doubtful. The LIV hesitantly sets up a root Proto-Indo-European *steh₂g- (“to seep, drip”) for it, for Old Breton staer (“river, brook”) and for Ancient Greek στάζω (stázō, “to let…

It is formed from Latin stō (“to stand”) + -tim, the adverbial suffix (the OLD analyses it as ⟨stā-⟩ + ⟨-im⟩), so first “standing firm”. De Vaan lists it among the derivatives of stō, whose stative…

It is from Latin status (“position, standing”) + -ō, the verbal suffix, from the root of stō “to stand”. The participle Umbrian statita suggests a Proto-Italic *statuō.

The OLD calls it perhaps cognate with stīpō “to pack tight”. De Vaan reconstructs ⟨stīpō⟩ from an adjective ⟨*stīpo-⟩ “erect, rigid”, Proto-Indo-European *steip-o- (“stiff, erect”), and interprets…

It is borrowed from Ancient Greek στολή (stolḗ, “garment, equipment”), from στέλλω (stéllō, “to make ready”). Isidore describes it as a matron's covering passed from the head and right side over the…

De Vaan calls it an imitative formation, with /str/ and /i/ rendering a high, thrilling tone. Cognate with Ancient Greek τρίζω (trízō, “to squeak”) and Tocharian A trisk- (“to resound”), which begin…

The origin is uncertain, Lewis & Short calling it doubtful. The OLD and Georges take it apparently as from Latin sub (“up to”) + limen (“threshold, lintel”), and Lewis & Short suggest “up to the…

It is from Latin sublīmis (“raised on high, lofty”) + -ō.

It is inherited from Proto-Italic *swe/oid-ōs-, from Proto-Indo-European *sueid-s- (“sweat”), from the root Proto-Indo-European *sweyd- (“to sweat”). De Vaan explains it as inherited from ⟨*sweidōs⟩…

It is formed from Latin superus (“upper, above”) + -ō, the verb ending. superus is from super (“above”), which goes back to Proto-Italic *supero- (“upper”) and Proto-Indo-European *upér (“over…

1. The verb is formed from Latin sub- + speciō (“to look”), “to look from below, look up”. De Vaan derives speciō from Proto-Italic *spekje-, from Proto-Indo-European *speḱ-ye- (“to look”). 2. The…

It is from Latin tabula (“board, plank”) + -ātus, used as a noun. De Vaan calls the origin of tabula uncertain: from Proto-Italic *taþlā- (“board”) it might be a root *ta- with an instrument suffix…

It belongs with tābēs “wasting” and tābeō “to waste away”. De Vaan lists it under tābeō, which he traces to Proto-Italic *tāf-ē- (“to be melting”) and Proto-Indo-European *teh₂-bʰ-eh₁- (“to be…

It is borrowed from Ancient Greek δᾴς (dáis, “torch, pinewood”), taken from its accusative δᾷδα (dâida). Köbler says it came through Etruscan, and Wiktionary that the intermediary is unknown. Lewis…

It is borrowed from Ancient Greek ταινία (tainía, “band, headband”). Beekes thinks the Greek word is probably related in the end to τείνω (teínō, “to stretch”), though the details of the formation…

It is formed from Latin tam (“so”) with the particle -dem (as in īdem), “just so far”. De Vaan derives it from ⟨*tam-dem⟩, with the secondary particle ⟨-dim⟩, and traces tam to Proto-Indo-European…

It is borrowed from Ancient Greek Τάρας (Táras), the Greek name of the town, which also had the form Ταρεντός (Tarentós). Köbler explains it as “the town on the river Tara”, following Frisk…

The origin is uncertain. Since yew was the usual wood for bows, de Vaan holds that the word must be connected with Ancient Greek τόξον (tóxon, “bow”), found already in Mycenaean; but it cannot be a…

Its origin is disputed. Because of Old High German dīhsala (“pole”) and Old English þīxl (“pole”), from Proto-Germanic *þenχslō-, Sommer reconstructed *tenksmō, and the OLD agrees. Meiser posits…

It is a denominative verb from the oblique stem, from Proto-Italic *tempos, *tempes-, whence tempus “time, due measure”. Etymonline notes that this link has been questioned, since the root sense of…