Etymology Explorer › Portuguese

Where does “letrado” come from?

letrado (Portuguese) comes from Old Portuguese leterado, from Latin litteratus, 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,...

letrado (Portuguese): literate; knowledgeable in literature; well-read;...

Definitions

  1. literate; knowledgeable in literature; well-read;...

Ancestry of “letrado”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Portugueseleterado—
2Latinlitteratuslearned, educated, scholarly, literate; cultured,...
3Latinlitteraa letter of the alphabet; handwriting; letter,...
4Latinlītera—
5Old Latinleitera—
6Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂leyH-to smear
7Proto-Indo-Europeanleyh₂-to die, disapear; to avoid, elude, decline,...

Words derived from “letrado”

  • iletrado
  • semiletrado
Every word from Proto-Indo-European leyh₂- →