Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “sublieutenant” come from?

sublieutenant (English) comes from English sub-lieutenant, 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 — to put, to place; to locate.

sublieutenant (English): Alternative form of sub-lieutenant

Definitions

  1. Alternative form of sub-lieutenant

Ancestry of “sublieutenant”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Englishsub-lieutenantA commissioned officer of the navy whose rank is...
2EnglishLieutenantAlternative letter-case form of lieutenant
3Middle Frenchlieutenantlieutenant
4Middle Frenchlieuplace
5Old Frenchleuwolf; place
6Latinlocusplace, spot; a passage of literature; "in the...
7Old Latinstlocus—
8Proto-Italicstlokos—
9Proto-Indo-Europeanstel-to put, to place; to locate
Every word from Proto-Indo-European stel- →