Where does “papal bull” come from?
papal bull (English) comes from Middle English bulle, from Old French bulle, from Medieval Latin bulla, from Latin bulla, from Proto-Indo-European bʰel-, from Proto-Indo-European bʰōl-.
papal bull (English): An official document or edict from the Pope
Definitions
- An official document or edict from the Pope
Ancestry of “papal bull”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle English | bulle | papal bull |
| 2 | Old French | bulle | seal; a letter sealed with a bull |
| 3 | Medieval Latin | bulla | seal; sealed document; seal capsule; seal",... |
| 4 | Latin | bulla | a bubble; a swollen or bubble-shaped object,... |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰel- | to sound; to speak, roar, bark; shiny, white; to... |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰōl- | — |