Where does “oracle” come from?
Oracle comes from Middle English oracle, from Old French oracle, from Latin oraculum, derived from the Latin diminutive suffix -culum and -culus, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European -trom and -tḗr.
oracle (English): A shrine dedicated to some prophetic deity; A...
Definitions
- A shrine dedicated to some prophetic deity; A...
Ancestry of “oracle”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | oracle | A shrine where hidden religious knowledge is... |
| 2 | Middle French | oracle | — |
| 3 | Old French | oracle | An oracle |
| 4 | Latin | oraculum | A divine announcement, oracle; A prophetic... |
| 5 | Latin | -culum | nominative neuter singular of -culus; accusative... |
| 6 | Proto-Italic | -klom | — |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | -tlom | Alternative form of *-trom |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | -trom | Forms nouns denoting a tool or instrument |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | -tḗr | Derives agent nouns from verbs, denoting someone... |