Where does “lackluster” come from?
Lackluster comes from English lack and luster, where luster derives from Italian lustro, from Latin lustrum meaning a period of five years or ceremonial purification, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European lewk- meaning to shine.
lackluster (English): Lacking brilliance or intelligence; Having no...
Definitions
- Lacking brilliance or intelligence; Having no...
Ancestry of “lackluster”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | English | luster | Shine, polish or sparkle; By extension,... |
| 2 | German | Lüster | chandelier |
| 3 | French | lustre | lustrum; period of five years; a very long time;... |
| 4 | Middle French | lustre | lustre; shine |
| 5 | Italian | lustro | first-person singular present indicative of... |
| 6 | Italian | lustrare | to polish, shine |
| 7 | Latin | lūstrō | — |
| 8 | Latin | lūstrum | — |
| 9 | Old Latin | loustrom | — |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | lewkstrom | — |
| 11 | Proto-Indo-European | lewk- | bright; to shine; to see |
Words derived from “lackluster”