Where does “lunacy” come from?
Lunacy comes from Middle English lunatik, from Latin lunaticus meaning moon-struck, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European lewk- meaning to shine.
lunacy (English): The state of being mad, insanity; Something...
Definitions
- The state of being mad, insanity; Something...
Ancestry of “lunacy”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | lunatic | An insane person; Crazed, mad, insane, demented |
| 2 | Middle English | lunatik | lunatic |
| 3 | Old French | lunatique | — |
| 4 | Latin | lūnāticus | Of, or living on, the moon |
| 5 | Latin | lūna | — |
| 6 | Old Latin | losna | — |
| 7 | Proto-Italic | louksnā | moon |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | lówksneh₂ | moon |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | lewḱ- | lynx |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | lewk- | bright; to shine; to see |