Etymology Explorer › Portuguese

Where does “letra” come from?

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

letra (Portuguese): letter; calligraphy , handwriting; font

Definitions

  1. letter; calligraphy , handwriting; font

Ancestry of “letra”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Portugueseletra—
2Latinlitteraa letter of the alphabet; handwriting; letter,...
3Latinlītera—
4Old Latinleitera—
5Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂leyH-to smear
6Proto-Indo-Europeanleyh₂-to die, disapear; to avoid, elude, decline,...

Words derived from “letra”

  • Letras
  • letras
  • soletrar
  • letrinha
  • letreiro
  • letrista
Every word from Proto-Indo-European leyh₂- →