Where does “lunatic” come from?

lunatic (Romanian) comes from French lunatique, from Italian lunatico, from Latin lūnāticus, from Latin lūna, from Old Latin losna, from Proto-Italic louksnā, from Proto-Indo-European lówksneh₂, from Proto-Indo-European lewḱ- — bright; to shine; to see.

lunatic (Romanian): somnambulist, sleepwalker; dullard, fool,...

Definitions

  1. somnambulist, sleepwalker; dullard, fool,...

Ancestry of “lunatic”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Frenchlunatiquemoody; lunatic
2Italianlunaticoquirky, temperamental and unstable; lunar; A...
3LatinlūnāticusOf, or living on, the moon
4Latinlūna
5Old Latinlosna
6Proto-Italiclouksnāmoon
7Proto-Indo-Europeanlówksneh₂moon
8Proto-Indo-Europeanlewḱ-lynx
9Proto-Indo-Europeanlewk-bright; to shine; to see
Every word from Proto-Indo-European lewk-Every word from Proto-Indo-European lewḱ-Every word from Proto-Indo-European lówksneh₂
lunatic — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer