English
Isle aux Morts
Isle aux Morts comes from French isle ‘island’, from mort ‘dead man’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *mer- ‘to die’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*mer-‘to die’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*mr̥yétor‘to die’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*moriōr‘to die’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEmorior‘die’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEmortuus‘dead, having died’
- Vulgar Latinc. 100–700 CE*mortureconstructed
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400mort
- Frenchc. 1600–presentsame form‘dead man’
- French, derivedc. 1600–presentisle‘island’plural form of mort
- French, derivedc. 1600–presentIsle aux Morts
- Englishtodaysame form
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*mer-‘to die’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*mr̥yétor‘to die’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*moriōr‘to die’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEmorior‘die’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEmortuus‘dead, having died’
- Vulgar Latinc. 100–700 CE*mortureconstructed
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400mort
- Frenchc. 1600–presentsame form‘dead man’
- French, derivedc. 1600–presentisle‘island’plural form of mort
- French, derivedc. 1600–presentIsle aux Morts
- Englishtodaysame form
The story
The town is named after a nearby island, which is named in turn for the numerous shipwrecks which have occurred there.
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *mer- ‘to die’
remember, march, murder, marine, nightmare, mere, maritime, marsh, mare, mortality, mortal, mara, mortar, muller, moor, morbid, morn, ambrosia, marinate, marinara, maar, cormorant, mortification, mortician, mortier, 58 more
through Latin morior ‘die’
through Latin mortuus ‘dead, having died’
through Old French mort
Today it means
name A town in Newfoundland, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *mer- / Isle aux Morts