Etymology Explorer › Middle French

Where does “lieutenant” come from?

lieutenant (Middle French) comes 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 (Middle French): lieutenant

Definitions

  1. lieutenant

Ancestry of “lieutenant”, step by step

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

Words derived from “lieutenant”

  • lieutenant
  • leftenant
  • sublieutenant
  • lieutenantship
  • lieutenantry
  • sub-lieutenant
  • Oberleutnant
  • Leutnant
  • generallöjtnant
  • löjtnant
  • överstelöjtnant
  • lajtnant
  • foleifteanant
  • leifteanant
  • leitnant
  • kolonelleitnant
  • luteni
  • leutnant
Every word from Proto-Indo-European stel- →