300–201 BC

Romanian words from Latin words first recorded in the 3rd century BC

500 Romanian words inherited from a Latin word whose earliest known written record dates from the 3rd century BC, earliest Latin record first (page 3).

unde
250 BC–184 BC

from Latin unde

It is inherited from Latin unde (“from where, whence”). Tiktin explains that the Latin adverb meant “whence”, and that once a clarifying de was put before it, as in Italian donde and French dont, it…
vad
250 BC–184 BC

from Latin vadum

It is inherited from Latin vadum (“shallow place, ford”). Its Romance cognates include Italian vado, Spanish vado, Portuguese vao and French gué, and Albanian va. According to the REW, the French…
vițel
250 BC–184 BC

from Latin vitellus

It is inherited from Latin vitellus (“little calf”), a diminutive of vitulus (“calf”). Tiktin thinks the /i/ was kept under the influence of vită. The word survives in all four branches: Aromanian…
voma
250 BC–184 BC

from Latin vomo

Its origin is disputed. According to Tiktin and the DLR, it is inherited from Latin vomō (“to vomit”), and DEXI and NODEX agree. The older forms of the third conjugation, an infinitive voame and its…
vânător
250 BC–184 BC

from Latin venator

It is inherited from Latin vēnātor (“hunter”), from vēnor (“to hunt”) with the agent suffix -tor. Ciorănescu treats it as a derivative of vâna that may also continue the Latin word directly, and the…
vâsc
250 BC–184 BC

from Latin viscum

It is inherited from Latin viscum (“mistletoe; birdlime made from its berries”). It survives south of the Danube as well: Aromanian vãscu. Wikționar lists the Romance cognates Italian vischio…
împătra
250 BC–184 BC

from Latin patro

It is probably inherited from Latin patrō (“to accomplish”), with the sense of impetrō (“to obtain”), as Bogrea proposed. MDA2 and DLRM reconstruct Vulgar Latin *impatrō, a form of the latter, and…
începe
250 BC–184 BC

from Latin incipio

It is inherited from Latin incipiō (“to begin”). The Latin verb is formed from in- and capiō (“to seize, take”). The verb survives in Aromanian ntsep. Outside Romanian it was kept only in Romansh…
închina
250 BC–184 BC

from Latin inclino

It is inherited from Latin inclīnō (“to bend, bow, incline”). The Latin verb is formed from in- and clīnō (“to bend”). The verb survives in all four branches: Aromanian ncljin, also ncl'inare in the…
întoarce
250 BC–184 BC

from Latin intorqueo

It is inherited from Latin intorqueō (“to twist, turn round”), through a Vulgar Latin form *intorcō with the stem of *torcō, from torqueō (“to twist, turn”). Ciorănescu allows that it may also be…
întreba
250 BC–184 BC

from Latin interrogo

It is inherited from Latin interrogō (“to ask, question”), itself formed from inter- and rogō (“to ask”). The same change of /g/ to /b/ is seen in limbă from lingua. Because only /gw/ was thought…
și
250 BC–184 BC

from Latin sic

It is inherited from Latin sīc (“thus, so, in this way”). The Oxford Latin Dictionary explains the Latin adverb as the locative of an old demonstrative stem with the particle -ce. In Romanian the…
șterc
250 BC–184 BC

from Latin stercus

1. The word for filth is inherited from Latin stercus (“dung, excrement”). Ciorănescu cites Cihac, Pușcariu, Tiktin and the REW for this etymology. It survives south of the Danube: Aromanian sterc…
șuiera
250 BC–184 BC

from Latin sibilo

It is inherited from Latin sibilō (“to hiss, whistle”). Ciorănescu, after Cihac, Pușcariu and the REW, starts from the Latin verb, which passed into a form with /u/ recorded by Du Cange. Wiktionary…
șușta
250 BC–184 BC

from Latin suscito

MDA2 and the DLR call its origin unknown. Ciorănescu lists it as sușta “to rise up”. In his view, after a proposal of Drăganu in the journal Dacoromania, it is inherited from Latin suscitō (“to…
argint
240 BC–207 BC

from Latin argentum

It is inherited from Latin argentum (“silver”). DELR places the Latin word with arguō, argūmentum and argūtus, on a root meaning bright or shining. De Vaan traces it through Proto-Italic *argentom…
auzi
240 BC–207 BC

from Latin audio

It is inherited from Latin audiō (“to hear”). De Vaan explains the Latin verb as a compound of Proto-Indo-European *h₂ewis (“clearly, manifestly”) and the root *dʰeh₁-, “to make manifest”. The verb…
balț
240 BC–207 BC

from Latin balteus

It is inherited from Latin balteus (“belt, baldric”), which Varro thought an Etruscan word. It survives south of the Danube: Aromanian balțu, the white headscarf of old women. The Romance cognates…
bea
240 BC–207 BC

from Latin bibo

It is inherited from Latin bibō (“to drink”), a verb inherited by all the Romance languages. The Latin verb comes from Proto-Indo-European *píph₃eti (“drinks”), with its first ⟨p⟩ assimilated to the…
cere
240 BC–207 BC

from Latin quaero

It is inherited from Latin quaerō (“to seek, look for; to ask”). The Latin verb's own origin is uncertain: Wiktionary reports Nussbaum's and de Vaan's derivation from Proto-Indo-European *kʷeh₂-…
crede
240 BC–207 BC

from Latin credo

It is inherited from Latin crēdō (“to believe, entrust”), a verb found throughout the Romance languages. The DÉRom reconstructs the Proto-Romance verb with the senses “to hold true”, “to trust” and…
câmp
240 BC–207 BC

from Latin campus

It is inherited from Latin campus (“plain, field”), a word inherited across the Romance languages. DELR adds that the modern senses in physics, military language, technology and linguistics follow…
drege
240 BC–207 BC

from Latin dirigo

It is inherited from Latin dīrigō (“to set in a line, to direct, to guide”), which Latin also used in the form dērigō. DELR starts from the variant, formed on dē- and regō (“to lead, to rule”), and…
fier
240 BC–207 BC

from Latin ferrum

It is inherited from Latin ferrum (“iron”). The word survives in all four branches: Aromanian her, Megleno-Romanian ier and Istro-Romanian fľer. Its Romance cognates include Italian ferro, Dalmatian…
floare
240 BC–207 BC

from Latin flos

It is inherited from Latin flōrem (“flower”), the accusative of the Latin noun, which lives on in nearly every Romance language. The Latin word goes back to Proto-Indo-European *bʰleh₃- (“to…
iască
240 BC–207 BC

from Latin esca

It is inherited from Latin ēsca (“food, bait”), a derivative of edō (“to eat”). The REW records the Latin word in three senses, “food”, “bait” and “tinder”; Graur traces the Romanian sense from…
lacrimă
240 BC–207 BC

from Latin lacrima

It is inherited from Latin lacrima (“tear”), through the older Romanian form lacrămă. Old Latin also had the spellings ⟨lacruma⟩ and ⟨dacrima⟩. The OLD takes the Latin word as probably borrowed from…
loc
240 BC–207 BC

from Latin locus

It is inherited from Latin locus (“place, spot”), a word inherited by every Romance language. It keeps the same form in all four branches of Romanian: Aromanian loc, Megleno-Romanian loc and…
miez
240 BC–207 BC

from Latin medius

It is inherited from Latin medius (“middle, central”). Ciorănescu cites Diez, Pușcariu, Candrea and Densusianu and the REW for it. The Latin word goes back to Proto-Indo-European *médʰyos…
minciună
240 BC–207 BC

from Latin mentio

It is inherited from Late Latin mentiō (“lie”), a noun formed on mentior (“to lie”) and distinct from mentiō (“mention”). Ciorănescu and Pușcariu start from a form *mentītiō, later shortened…
mult
240 BC–207 BC

from Latin multus

It is inherited from Latin multus (“much, many”). Wiktionary takes the Latin word from Proto-Indo-European *ml̥tos (“crumbled, crumpled”); de Vaan reconstructs a Proto-Italic stem and only…
mânea
240 BC–207 BC

from Latin maneo

It is inherited from Latin maneō (“to remain, stay”). The Latin verb comes from Proto-Indo-European *men- (“to stay, stand still”). It survives south of the Danube as Aromanian amîn. The Romance…
naie
240 BC–207 BC

from Latin navis

Ciorănescu takes it as inherited from Latin nāvis (“ship”), from the accusative, following Pușcariu and the REW. Wiktionary also has it inherited. DLR, MDA2 and DLRM instead treat it as a learned…
nod
240 BC–207 BC

from Latin nodus

It is inherited from Latin nōdus (“knot”). It survives in Aromanian nod and Megleno-Romanian nod, and has Romance cognates such as Italian nodo, Spanish nudo and Portuguese nó. The origin of the…
pradă
240 BC–207 BC

from Latin praeda

It is inherited from Latin praeda (“booty, plunder”). The Latin word comes from an older form with prae- and the root of prehendō (“to seize”). Wiktionary traces it to Proto-Indo-European *gʰed-. It…
preț
240 BC–207 BC

from Latin pretium

It is inherited from Latin pretium (“price, value; reward”). De Vaan traces the Latin word to *preti (“against”), with cognates such as Ancient Greek πρός (prós). Its Romance cognates include…
păcure
240 BC–207 BC

from Latin pecus

It is inherited from Latin pecus (“cattle, livestock”), from Proto-Indo-European *péḱ-os (“livestock”). Wiktionary takes it from the plural of an older variant păc (plural pecuri), which the DLR…
părea
240 BC–207 BC

from Latin pareo

It is inherited from Latin pāreō (“to appear”). The verb survives as Aromanian par, also ampar. Its Romance cognates include Italian parere, Occitan parer, Old French paroir, Spanish parecer and…
sânt
240 BC–207 BC

from Latin sanctus

It is inherited from Latin sānctus (“holy”), the perfect passive participle of sanciō (“to consecrate”). It survives in Aromanian as sãmtu. The Romance cognates include Italian santo, French saint…
tot
240 BC–207 BC

from Latin totus

It is inherited from Latin tōtus (“whole, all”). Pușcariu mentions the alternative Latin form tottus, which some Romance languages continue. Because the Latin word took over the plural sense “all”…
undă
240 BC–207 BC

from Latin unda

It is inherited from Latin unda (“wave”). Its Aromanian counterpart is undã. Its Romance cognates include Dalmatian yonda, Italian onda, Occitan onda, Catalan ona, Spanish onda and Portuguese onda…
vedea
240 BC–207 BC

from Latin video

It is inherited from Latin videō (“to see”), from Proto-Indo-European *weyd-. It survives in all four branches: Aromanian ved, Megleno-Romanian ved and Istro-Romanian vedu. Its Romance cognates…
veni
240 BC–207 BC

from Latin venio

It is inherited from Latin veniō (“to come”). The Latin verb comes from Proto-Indo-European *gʷm̥yéti, a zero-grade formation of *gʷem-, and is cognate with Ancient Greek βαίνω (baínō) and the…
vin
240 BC–207 BC

from Latin vinum

It is inherited from Latin vīnum (“wine”). Wiktionary traces the Latin word to Proto-Indo-European *wóyh₁nom. De Vaan connects it with οἶνος (oînos) and the Albanian, Armenian and Anatolian words…
ședea
240 BC–207 BC

from Latin sedeo

It is inherited from Latin sedeō (“to sit”). The Latin verb comes from *sed- (“to sit”). The verb survives in all four branches: Aromanian șed, Megleno-Romanian șǒd and Istro-Romanian șed. Its…
țară
240 BC–207 BC

from Latin terra

It is inherited from Latin terra (“earth, dry land”). De Vaan traces the Latin word to Proto-Indo-European *ters- (“to dry out”), so that it first meant “dry land”. The southern branches have…
adevăr
235 BC–200 BC

from Latin verum

It is inherited from Latin vērum (“what is true”), inside a Latin adverbial phrase meaning “truly” whose exact shape is disputed. Pușcariu, the REW and Scriban start from ad added to ad vērum. DELR…
an
235 BC–201 BC

from Latin annus

It is inherited from Latin annus (“year”), a word inherited by every Romance language. The Latin word comes from Proto-Italic *atnos, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂et-no-, probably from *h₂et- (“to…
blând
235 BC–200 BC

from Latin blandus

It is inherited from Latin blandus (“flattering, charming, seductive”). De Vaan calls the origin of the Latin word uncertain. Only nouns for a skin rash survive south of the Danube: Aromanian blãndã…
carne
235 BC–201 BC

from Latin caro

It is inherited from Latin carō (“flesh, meat”), in its accusative form carnem. The word survives in all four branches: Aromanian carni, Megleno-Romanian carni and Istro-Romanian cårne. Aromanian…
chiar
235 BC–200 BC

from Latin clarus

It is inherited from Latin clārus (“loud; bright, clear”). De Vaan derives the Latin adjective from Proto-Indo-European *kelh₁-, with the same shift from “loud” to “clear” as in German hell. The…
cununa
235 BC–200 BC

from Latin corono

It is inherited from Latin corōnō (“to crown”), the verb derived from corōna (“crown, wreath”), which gave the noun cunună. Ciorănescu lists it among the derivatives of the noun but allows that it…
curge
235 BC–201 BC

from Latin curro

It is inherited from Latin currō (“to run”), from Proto-Indo-European *ḱers- (“to run”). The regular outcome was cure (old ⟨curre⟩), with the present ⟨cur⟩ and the participle curs. Towards the end…
cânta
235 BC–201 BC

from Latin canto

It is inherited from Latin cantō (“to sing”), the frequentative of canō (“to sing”), and is found throughout the Romance languages. It survives in all four branches: Aromanian cântu…
către
235 BC–200 BC

from Latin contra

It is inherited from Latin contrā (“opposite, against”). DELR takes cătră as the original form, which took its final /e/ under the influence of între, while cătă lost its /r/ by dissimilation in…
deget
235 BC–201 BC

from Latin digitus

It is inherited from Latin digitus (“finger, toe”), a word kept by all the Romance languages. The Romanian plural continues a Latin plural digita. Pușcariu explains the dialect forms with /dz/ and…
fapt
235 BC–201 BC

from Latin factum

It is inherited from Latin factum (“deed, act”), the neuter past participle of faciō (“to do, make”) used as a noun. It was at first also the past participle of face; after the 16th century făcut…
faulă
235 BC–201 BC

from Latin fabula

Ciorănescu takes it as inherited from Latin fābula (“story”), with the same sound changes as sulă from sūbula and staul from stabulum, and a shift of the stress as in aud from audiō. This makes it a…
fiară
235 BC–201 BC

from Latin fera

It is inherited from Latin fera (“wild animal”). Ciorănescu gives Aromanian hiară, although Pușcariu notes that Papahagi did not know it. Romance cognates include Italian fera, Spanish fera and…
frate
235 BC–200 BC

from Latin frater

It is inherited from Latin frāter (“brother”), continuing either the nominative or the accusative frātrem, which lost its second /r/. The Latin noun comes from Proto-Indo-European *bʰréh₂tēr. The…

All Romanian words inherited from Latin, by century →