Where does “role” come from?
role (Old French) comes from Medieval Latin rotulus, from Latin rotula, from Arabic رَطْل, from Classical Syriac ܪܝܛܠܐ, from Classical Syriac ܠܝܛܪܐ, from French litre, from Medieval Latin litra, from Ancient Greek λίτρα.
role (Old French): roll; scroll
Ancestry of “role”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Medieval Latin | rotulus | a roll, list, catalogue, schedule, record, a... |
| 2 | Latin | rotula | a small wheel; roll |
| 3 | Arabic | رَطْل | — |
| 4 | Classical Syriac | ܪܝܛܠܐ | — |
| 5 | Classical Syriac | ܠܝܛܪܐ | libra, pound |
| 6 | French | litre | litre |
| 7 | Medieval Latin | litra | — |
| 8 | Ancient Greek | λίτρα | litra, a Sicilian silver coin; libra, a unit of... |
| 9 | Proto-Italic | *līðrā | — |
Words derived from “role”