Where does “lectern” come from?
Lectern derives from Middle English lettorne, from Old French leitrun, from Latin lectrinum, a reading desk formed from lectrum, ultimately from lectus meaning bed, connected to lego meaning to read.
lectern (English): A stand with a slanted top used to support a...
Definitions
- A stand with a slanted top used to support a...
Ancestry of “lectern”, step by step
lectern traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Middle English lettorne
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | lettorne | — |
| 2 | Old French | leitrun | — |
| 3 | Medieval Latin | lectrinum | — |
| 4 | Late Latin | lectrum | — |
| 5 | Latin | legō | to collect, gather, bring together, catch |
| 6 | Latin | lēx | a proposition or motion for a law made to the people by a magistrate, a bill |
| 7 | Proto-Italic | lēg- | — |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | leǵ-s | — |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | leǵ- | to gather, collect, with derivatives meaning to... |
via Middle English lettorne//lettron
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | lettorne//lettron | — |