Where does “multitude” come from?
multitude (Middle English) comes from Old French multitude, from Latin multitudo, from Latin multus, from Proto-Italic moltos, from Proto-Indo-European ml̥tós, from Proto-Indo-European mel-, from Proto-Indo-European mey- — to strengthen; to bind; to change, exchange.
Ancestry of “multitude”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old French | multitude | crowd of people; diversity; wide range |
| 2 | Latin | multitudo | A great number; multitude, numerousness; A great... |
| 3 | Latin | multus | much; many |
| 4 | Proto-Italic | moltos | — |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | ml̥tós | crumbled, crumpled |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | mel- | soft; tender; weak; to deceive; to rub |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | mey- | to strengthen; to bind; to change, exchange |
Words derived from “multitude”