Etymograph

English

Arthur

Arthur comes from Medieval Latin Arthurus.

  1. Medieval Latinc. 600–1500Arthurusnext step skipped: Old Welsh arth
  2. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500Arthure
  3. Englishearliest quotation 1951Arthur

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Earlier history uncertain.

Lineage

  1. Medieval Latinc. 600–1500Arthurusnext step skipped: Old Welsh arth
  2. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500Arthure
  3. Englishearliest quotation 1951Arthur

Earliest quotation: 1951, Graham Greene, The End of the Affair: “Is his name Arthur?" "Arthur James." "It’s quite an…”

The story

Other suggestions include Old Welsh arth (‘bear’) and ur (‘man’), or a Latinized (Romano-British) name; compare Latin Artorius, itself possibly of Etruscan origin, or more likely Messapic-Illyrian related to Proto-Albanian *artsa (‘bear’).

Every English word from Medieval Latin Arthurus

Today it means

name A male given name from the Celtic languages.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / Medieval Latin Arthurus / Arthur

Shirt and support for this word