Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “roleplayer” come from?

roleplayer (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.

roleplayer (English): A person who plays roleplaying games; Someone who...

Definitions

  1. A person who plays roleplaying games; Someone who...

Ancestry of “roleplayer”, 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—

Words derived from “roleplayer”

  • role-player
Every word from Proto-Italic *līðrā →