Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “sub-lieutenant” come from?

sub-lieutenant (English) comes from English Lieutenant, from Middle French lieutenant, from Middle French lieu, from Old French leu, from Latin locus, from Old Latin stlocus, from Proto-Italic stlokos, from Proto-Indo-European stel- — to put, to place; to locate.

sub-lieutenant (English): A commissioned officer of the navy whose rank is...

Definitions

  1. A commissioned officer of the navy whose rank is...

Ancestry of “sub-lieutenant”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishLieutenantAlternative letter-case form of lieutenant
2Middle Frenchlieutenantlieutenant
3Middle Frenchlieuplace
4Old Frenchleuwolf; place
5Latinlocusplace, spot; a passage of literature; "in the...
6Old Latinstlocus—
7Proto-Italicstlokos—
8Proto-Indo-Europeanstel-to put, to place; to locate

Words derived from “sub-lieutenant”

  • sublieutenant
Every word from Proto-Indo-European stel- →