Where does “medieval” come from?
Medieval derives from Middle Latin mediaevalis, from Latin medius and aevum, the latter from Proto-Indo-European h₂eyu- meaning life or age.
medieval (English): Of or relating to the Middle Ages, the period...
Definitions
- Of or relating to the Middle Ages, the period...
Ancestry of “medieval”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | French | médiéval | medieval |
| 2 | Latin | aevum | time as a single, unified, continuous and... |
| 3 | Latin | aevom | Archaic form of aevum |
| 4 | Old Latin | aivom | time, lifetime; age |
| 5 | Proto-Italic | aiwom | age |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂eyu- | vitality; eternal; vital force, life, long life,... |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂ey- | vital force, life, age, eternity; day, morning |