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 person who executes the plans and directives of another
Definitions
- lieutenant person who executes the plans and directives of another
Ancestry of “lieutenant”, step by step
lieutenant traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Middle French lieu
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle French | lieu | place |
| 2 | Old French | leu | wolf; place |
| 3 | Latin | locus | place, spot; a passage of literature; "in the... |
| 4 | Old Latin | stlocus | — |
| 5 | Proto-Italic | stlokos | — |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | stel- | to put, to place; to locate |
via Middle French tenant
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle French | tenant | holding |