Etymograph

English

Leicester

Leicester comes from Old English ċeaster ‘fortified settlement’, from Latin castra ‘camp’, and ultimately from Proto-Italic *kastrom ‘part, share of something’.

  1. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*kastrom‘part, share of something’reconstructed
  2. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEcastrum‘fort, castle’
  3. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEcastra‘camp’
  4. Old Englishc. 450–1150ċeaster‘fortified settlement’
  5. Old English, derivedc. 450–1150Ligoraċeaster
  6. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500Ledecestre
  7. Englishearliest quotation 1869Leicester

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*kastrom‘part, share of something’reconstructed
  2. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEcastrum‘fort, castle’
  3. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEcastra‘camp’
  4. Old Englishc. 450–1150ċeaster‘fortified settlement’
  5. Old English, derivedc. 450–1150Ligoraċeaster
  6. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500Ledecestre
  7. Englishearliest quotation 1869Leicester

Earliest quotation: 1869, Sheep: Their Breeds, Management: “The Leicesters and half-breds are purchased by farmers who…”

Linked words

through Proto-Italic *kastrom ‘part, share of something’

castrate, castellan, 17 more

through Latin castrum ‘fort, castle’

castle, château, cashel, alcazar, castello, castell, 19 more

Today it means

name A city, unitary authority, and borough in and the county town of Leicestershire, England.

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

Etymograph / Proto-Italic *kastrom / Leicester

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