Etymology Explorer › French

Where does “lieutenant” come from?

lieutenant (French) comes from French lieu, 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.

lieutenant (French): lieutenant

Definitions

  1. lieutenant

Ancestry of “lieutenant”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Frenchlieuplace; any of several fish from the Pollachius...
2Middle Frenchlieuplace
3Old Frenchleuwolf; place
4Latinlocusplace, spot; a passage of literature; "in the...
5Old Latinstlocus—
6Proto-Italicstlokos—
7Proto-Indo-Europeanstel-to put, to place; to locate

Words derived from “lieutenant”

  • Oberleutnant
  • Leutnant
  • yliluutnantti
  • everstiluutnantti
  • luutnantti
  • kenraaliluutnantti
  • aliluutnantti
  • leŭtenanto
  • ĉefleŭtenanto
  • generallöjtnant
  • löjtnant
  • överstelöjtnant
  • lajtnant
  • leitnant
  • kolonelleitnant
  • leutnant
  • litinent
Every word from Proto-Indo-European stel- →