Etymology Explorer › Latin

Where does “littera” come from?

littera (Latin) comes from Latin lītera, from Old Latin leitera, from Proto-Indo-European h₂leyH-, from Proto-Indo-European leyh₂- — to die, disapear; to avoid, elude, decline,...

littera (Latin): a letter of the alphabet; handwriting; letter,...

Definitions

  1. a letter of the alphabet; handwriting; letter,...

Ancestry of “littera”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Latinlītera—
2Old Latinleitera—
3Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂leyH-to smear
4Proto-Indo-Europeanleyh₂-to die, disapear; to avoid, elude, decline,...

Words derived from “littera”

  • letter
  • literature
  • literary
  • literally
  • literacy
  • literal
  • illiterate
  • literate
  • newsletter
  • illiteracy
  • literati
  • letterhead
  • transliteration
  • literalism
  • letterpress
  • literalist
  • literalness
  • obliterans
  • letterbox
  • biliteracy
  • litterateur
  • preliterate
  • literariness
  • literarily
Every word from Proto-Indo-European leyh₂- →