Etymologically

300s

Latin words first recorded in the 4th century

379 Latin words whose earliest known written record dates from the 4th century, earliest first (page 5). Words dated only to part of the century follow the ones with a year.

  1. muro

    383–420

    It is from Latin murus (“wall”), a Late Latin verb.

  2. muttum

    383–420

    It is a back-formation, from Latin muttiō (“to mutter”), which is of imitative origin. The TLL compares mūtmūt and that verb.

  3. nonna

    383–420

    It is from Latin nonnus (“monk; tutor”), its feminine. Etymonline says that both were at first terms of address for elderly people, perhaps from children's speech, and compares Welsh nain…

  4. pelecanus

    383–420

    It is borrowed from Ancient Greek πελεκάν (pelekán, “pelican”); the Latin forms arose from the Greek oblique cases. Beekes derives the Greek word from πέλεκυς (pélekus, “axe”), from the bird's…

  5. polygamia

    383–420

    It is borrowed from Ancient Greek πολυγαμία (polugamía, “polygamy”), from πολύγαμος (polúgamos, “often married”), a compound of πολύς (polús, “many”) and γάμος (gámos, “marriage”).

  6. praestigium

    383–420

    It is from Latin praestīgiae (“illusions, tricks”), made into a neuter singular. The TLL treats both in one article. The TLL derives that word from praestringō (“to blind, dazzle”), with another…

  7. prolongatio

    383–420

    It is from Latin prōlongō (“to prolong”) with the suffix -tiō. Wiktionary analyses it as from Latin prōlongātus + -tiō, from the past participle of the same verb.

  8. repulsio

    383–420

    It is from Latin repellō (“to drive back”) + -tiō, beside the older repulsa, used from Cicero on.

  9. revolutio

    383–420

    It is from Latin revolvō (“to roll back”) + -tiō. The verb is re- added to volvō (“to roll, cause to go round”), which goes back to Proto-Italic *welu-e/o- and Proto-Indo-European *uel-u- (“to wind”).

  10. schedula

    383–420

    It is from Latin scheda (“sheet of paper”) + -ula, a diminutive.

  11. sophistria

    383–420

    It is borrowed from Ancient Greek σοφίστρια (sophístria, “female sophist”).

  12. subdivisio

    383–420

    It is formed from Latin sub- + dīvīsiō. Lewis and Short and Georges connect it with the verb subdīvidō.

  13. antiphona

    384

    It is borrowed from Ancient Greek ἀντίφωνα (antíphōna, “responses”), the neuter plural of ἀντίφωνος (antíphōnos, “sounding in answer”), from ἀντί (antí, “in return”) and φωνή (phōnḗ, “voice…

  14. deante

    384

    It is from Latin dē (“from”) + ante (“before”), a Late Latin compound.

  15. monasterium

    384

    It is borrowed from Ancient Greek μοναστήριον (monastḗrion, “hermitage, monastery”), which comes from μονάζω (monázō, “to live alone”), from μόνος (mónos, “alone”). Isidore of Seville explained it…

  16. sexta

    384

    It is from Latin sextus (“sixth”), its feminine used as a noun in agreement with an implied hōra (“hour”), “the sixth hour”. Köbler likewise derives it from the ordinal.

  17. domnus

    387

    It is from Latin dominus (“master, lord”), shortened by the loss of the unstressed vowel. The TLL treats the two forms together; in manuscripts from the 4th century on the short form is common and…

  18. allevio

    390–406

    It is formed from Latin ad- + levis (“light”) + -iō, with the causative verb suffix. Lewis & Short treat it as equivalent to allevō, from levō “to lift, lighten”. The verb without the prefix is leviō.

  19. annualis

    390–406

    It is from Latin annuus (“yearly”) + -ālis, a lengthened form of the adjective, which comes from annus “year”.

  20. annullo

    390–406

    It is formed from Latin ad- + nūllus (“none, nothing”), “to bring to nothing”.

  21. captivo

    390–406

    It is from Latin captīvus (“captive”), made into a first-conjugation verb. The adjective itself belongs with capiō (“to take”). The TLL notes that it was coined by Christian writers to render Greek…

  22. cauma

    390–406

    It is borrowed from Ancient Greek καῦμα (kaûma, “heat, burning”), a noun from καίω (kaíō, “to burn”). Köbler traces the Greek word, with a question mark, to Proto-Indo-European *k̑ēu- (“to kindle…

  23. chamulcus

    390

    It is borrowed from Ancient Greek χαμουλκός (khamoulkós, “a large sledge for moving loads”). Wiktionary connects the Greek word with ἕλκω (hélkō), while Köbler leaves its further origin open.

  24. compulsor

    390

    It is an agent noun, from Latin compellō (“to drive together, force”) + -tor, formed on the participle stem ⟨compuls-⟩. The verb is a compound of pellō (“to drive”), which de Vaan traces to…

  25. constipatio

    390

    It is formed from Latin cōnstīpō (“to press or crowd together”) + -tiō. The verb is made of con- and stīpō (“to compress, surround”); de Vaan thinks this verb seems to be based on an adjective…

  26. convectio

    390

    It is formed from Latin convehō (“to bring together”) + -tiō. The verb convehō is a compound in the family of vehō (“to convey, carry”), which goes back to Proto-Indo-European *ueǵʰ-e/o- (“to carry”).

  27. coriaceus

    390

    It is formed from Latin corium (“leather”) + -āceus in Late Latin.

  28. exardeo

    390–406

    It is from Latin ex- + ārdeō (“to burn”). ārdeō is itself derived from āridus (“dry”).

  29. exigentia

    390–406

    It is formed from Latin exigēns + -ia, from the present participle of exigō (“to demand, require”).

  30. fluentia

    390

    It is formed from Latin fluēns (“flowing”) + -ia, the present participle of fluō (“to flow”).

  31. geographicus

    390

    It is borrowed from Ancient Greek γεωγραφικός (geōgraphikós, “geographical”), the adjective of γεωγραφία (geōgraphía); Wiktionary analyses it within Latin as geōgraphia with -icus.

  32. heredito

    390–406

    It is from Latin hērēditās (“inheritance”), made in the Old Latin Bible and the Vulgate to render Ancient Greek κληρονομέω (klēronoméō, “to inherit”), just as that verb stands beside κληρονομία…

  33. impedico

    390

    It is from Latin in- + pedica (“fetter, snare”).

  34. inalto

    390–406

    It is from Latin in- + altō (“to raise”), from altus (“high”).

  35. invectivus

    390

    It is from Latin invectus + -īvus. The TLL and Georges derive it from invehor (“to inveigh against”), the passive of the verb.

  36. leviathan

    390–406

    It is borrowed from Biblical Hebrew לִוְיָתָן (livyathan, “dragon, serpent, huge sea animal”), a word of unknown origin, perhaps from a root meaning “to wind, twist”, with the notion of a serpent's…

  37. linealis

    390

    It is from Latin līnea (“line”) + -ālis.

  38. Maccabaeus

    390–406

    It is borrowed from Ancient Greek Μακκαβαῖος (Makkabaîos), from Biblical Hebrew מַכַּבִּי (makkabbī). Köbler connects it with a Hebrew word for “hammer”.

  39. magnas

    390–406

    It is from Latin magnus (“great”), formed like optimātēs. Köbler regards it as a loan formation on Ancient Greek μεγιστᾶνες (megistânes, “great men”), the Greek word that Georges gives as its…

  40. maligno

    390

    It is from Latin malignus (“spiteful, malicious”).

  41. molina

    390

    It is from Latin molīnus (“of a mill”), its feminine used as a noun, and the adjective is from molō (“to grind”); Etymonline derives it from mola (“millstone, mill”). An early borrowing from it is…

  42. obsidatus

    390

    It is from Latin obses (“hostage”) + -ātus, formed like praesidātus.

  43. pollutio

    390–406

    It is from Latin polluō (“to soil, defile”) + -tiō, a noun of action. De Vaan explains the verb polluō as a compound of por- and a verb that goes back to Proto-Italic *lowe/o- or *lawe/o-, from…

  44. portarius

    390–406

    It is a Late Latin formation, from Latin porta + -ārius.

  45. rabbi

    390–406

    It is borrowed from Ancient Greek ῥαββί (rhabbí), a word of Hebrew or Aramaic origin meaning “my master”. Wiktionary traces the Greek to Biblical Hebrew רבי (rabī, “rabbi, spiritual teacher”)…

  46. rationale

    390–406

    It is from Latin ratiōnālis (“of reason, rational”), its neuter used as a noun. For the high priest's breastplate it renders the Greek λογεῖον (logeîon) or λόγιον (lógion, “oracle”) of the…

  47. reptile

    390–406

    Used as a noun, it is the neuter from Latin rēptilis (“creeping, crawling”), taken from the phrase ⟨animal rēptile⟩, a creeping animal. The adjective is from rēpō (“to creep, crawl”), which de Vaan…

  48. scopo

    390–406

    1. “To sweep” is from Latin scōpa (“broom”) (mostly plural ⟨scōpae⟩). 2. “To examine” is borrowed from Ancient Greek σκοπέω (skopéō, “to look out for, consider”).

  49. septimana

    390–406

    It is from Latin septimānus (“of the number seven”), its feminine used as a noun in Late Latin in place of hebdomas. The adjective is from Latin septimus (“seventh”) + -ānus. It survives in Italian…

  50. serviens

    390–406

    Used as a noun, it is the present participle from Latin serviō (“to serve, be a slave”).

  51. subtractio

    390–406

    It is formed from Latin subtrahō (“to draw away, withdraw”) + -tiō.

  52. theologicus

    390

    It is borrowed from Ancient Greek θεολογικός (theologikós, “concerning the doctrine of the gods”), which Köbler connects with θεός (theós, “god”).

  53. thesaurizo

    390–406

    It is borrowed from Ancient Greek θησαυρίζω (thēsaurízō, “to store, treasure up”), a Late Latin borrowing, from θησαυρός (thēsaurós, “store-room, treasure”). Lewis & Short and Georges derive it…

  54. torta

    390–406

    Its origin is disputed. It may be from Latin tortus (“twisted”), used in the feminine as a noun from the phrase torta pānis (“a roll of bread”), after the shape of the loaf, or it may come from…

  55. transplanto

    390–406

    It is formed from Latin trāns- (“across”) + plantō (“to plant”), in Late Latin. Its earliest examples are in the Vulgate and in Sedulius.

  56. vegetabilis

    390

    It is from Latin vegetō (“to enliven, invigorate”) + -bilis. The verb comes from vegetus (“vigorous, lively”), from vegeō (“to enliven”); de Vaan's reconstruction for vegeō is Proto-Italic…

  57. indisputabilis

    395–415

    It is from Latin in- + disputābilis. Etymonline traces the base to disputō (“to discuss, argue”).

  58. theatricus

    397–401

    It is borrowed from Ancient Greek θεατρικός (theatrikós, “of the theatre”), an adjective from θέατρον (théatron, “theatre”).

  59. aciditas

    400

    It is formed from Latin acidus (“sour”) + -tās, and the adjective belongs with aceō (“to be sour”).

  60. actualis

    400–450

    It is from Latin āctus (“a doing, act”) + -ālis. The TLL equates it with Ancient Greek πρακτικός (praktikós, “practical”).

All Latin words by century →