Where does “butler” come from?
Butler comes from Middle English boteler, from Old French butiller, from Old French -ier, from Latin -are, from Latin -arius, from Latin -lus, from Old Latin -os, from Proto-Italic -os.
butler (English): A manservant having charge of wines and liquors;...
Definitions
- A manservant having charge of wines and liquors;...
Ancestry of “butler”, step by step
butler traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.
via Middle English boteler
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | boteler | butler |
| 2 | Old French | butiller | butler |
| 3 | Old French | boteille | bottle |
| 4 | Latin | butticula | bottle |
| 5 | Latin | buttis | cask, barrel |
| 6 | Ancient Greek | πυτίνη | a flagon, flask |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰeHw- | to swell, puff |
via Middle English butler
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | butler | — |
| 2 | Old French | boteillier | officer in charge of wine |
| 3 | Medieval Latin | botellarius | — |
via Middle English butlere
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | butlere | — |