Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “madrigal” come from?

Madrigal derives from Italian madrigale, from Latin matricalis meaning "of a mother," from Latin mater meaning "mother," ultimately from Proto-Indo-European méh₂tēr.

madrigal (English): A song for a small number of unaccompanied...

Definitions

  1. A song for a small number of unaccompanied...

Ancestry of “madrigal”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Italianmadrigalemadrigal
2LatinmatricalisOf or pertaining to the womb or matrix
3Latinmātrīx—
4Latinmāter—
5Ancient GreekἄρχωTo begin; To lead, rule, govern, command; To be...
6Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂ergʰ-to begin; to command, rule; to begin, rule,...

Words derived from “madrigal”

  • madrigalist
  • madrigalian
  • madrigalic
  • madrigaler
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂ergʰ- →