Etymograph

English

Festivus

Festivus may come from Latin fēstīvus ‘lively, festive, joyous, gay, merry’.

  1. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEfēstīvus‘lively, festive, joyous, gay, merry’uncertain
  2. Englishearliest quotation 2006Festivus

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Earlier history uncertain.

Lineage

  1. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEfēstīvus‘lively, festive, joyous, gay, merry’uncertain
  2. Englishearliest quotation 2006Festivus

Earliest quotation: 2006, Boston Globe Article-, Yes, Virginia, there is a Festivus: “Festivus isn't about any specific religion," Doyle said, stating…”

The story

Coined by Daniel O'Keefe and popularized on the TV series Seinfeld; either borrowed from Latin fēstīvus or else derived from its English descendants festive and festival by adding the Latin suffix -us.

Linked words

through Latin fēstus ‘of or pertaining to feasts’

fiesta, fete, fête, 10 more

through Latin īvus

positive, native, naive, naïve, nativity, 13 more

Today it means

name A nondenominational holiday featured in a Seinfeld episode, now celebrated (seriously or otherwise) on December 23rd.

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

Etymograph / Latin fēstīvus / Festivus

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