English
Lethean
Lethean comes from Latin Lēthē, from Ancient Greek λήθω ‘to forget’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *leh₂- ‘to hide’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*leh₂-‘to hide’reconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEλήθωlḗthō‘to forget’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEΛήθη
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CELēthē
- Englishearliest quotation 1667Lethean
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*leh₂-‘to hide’reconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEλήθωlḗthō‘to forget’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEΛήθη
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CELēthē
- Englishearliest quotation 1667Lethean
Earliest quotation: 1667, Milton: “They ferry over this Lethean sound.”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *leh₂- ‘to hide’
loom, latent, lament, lull, loll, laika, alastor, 17 more
through Ancient Greek Λήθη
Today it means
adj Of or relating to the river Lethe, one of the four rivers of Hades. Those who drank from it experienced complete forgetfulness.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *leh₂- / Lethean