English
Florence
Florence comes from Latin flōrens ‘flowering, flourishing’, and goes back to Proto-Indo-European *bʰleh₃- ‘to bloom’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*bʰleh₃-‘to bloom’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*bʰléh₃sreconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*flōs‘flower, blossom’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEflōs‘flower’next step skipped: Latin flōreō
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEflōrens‘flowering, flourishing’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEFlōrentia
- Frenchc. 1600–presentFlorence
- Englishearliest quotation 1605same form
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*bʰleh₃-‘to bloom’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*bʰléh₃sreconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*flōs‘flower, blossom’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEflōs‘flower’next step skipped: Latin flōreō
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEflōrens‘flowering, flourishing’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEFlōrentia
- Frenchc. 1600–presentFlorence
- Englishearliest quotation 1605same form
Earliest quotation: 1605, M. N. pseudonym; William Camden, Remaines of a Greater Worke: “he first gold that K. Edw . 3. coyned…”
The story
The female given name gained popularity from Florence Nightingale who was born in the Tuscan city.
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *bʰleh₃- ‘to bloom’
full, blood, blow, fool, blade, bless, foil, bleed, bloom, blossom, folly, folio, folic, belladonna, exfoliate, florid, 54 more
through Proto-Italic *flōs ‘flower, blossom’
flower, ferret, fleur, 15 more
through Latin flōs ‘flower’
Today it means
name A city and comune, the capital of the Metropolitan City of Florence and the region of Tuscany, Italy.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *bʰleh₃- / Florence