Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “roleplay” come from?

roleplay (English) comes from English rôle, from French rôle, from Middle French rolle, from Old French role, from Medieval Latin rotulus, from Latin rotula, from Arabic رَطْل, from Classical Syriac ܪܝܛܠܐ.

roleplay (English): Alternative spelling of roleplay

Definitions

  1. Alternative spelling of roleplay

Ancestry of “roleplay”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishrôleDated spelling of role
2Frenchrôlerole; character
3Middle Frenchrollerole
4Old Frenchroleroll; scroll
5Medieval Latinrotulusa roll, list, catalogue, schedule, record, a...
6Latinrotulaa small wheel; roll
7Arabicرَطْل—
8Classical Syriacܪܝܛܠܐ—
9Classical Syriacܠܝܛܪܐlibra, pound
10Frenchlitrelitre
11Medieval Latinlitra—
12Ancient Greekλίτραlitra, a Sicilian silver coin; libra, a unit of...
13Proto-Italic*līðrā—
Every word from Proto-Italic *līðrā →