English
Monticello
Monticello comes from Italian monticello ‘little mount’, and goes back to Proto-Indo-European *men- ‘to stand out, to tower’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*men-‘to stand out, to tower’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*móntisreconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*montsreconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEmōns‘mountain, mount’
- Late Latinc. 200–600 CEmonticellus‘diminutive of mōns (“mountain”)’diminutive of mōns
- Italianc. 1300–presentmonticello‘little mount’
- Englishearliest quotation 2020Monticello
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*men-‘to stand out, to tower’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*móntisreconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*montsreconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEmōns‘mountain, mount’
- Late Latinc. 200–600 CEmonticellus‘diminutive of mōns (“mountain”)’diminutive of mōns
- Italianc. 1300–presentmonticello‘little mount’
- Englishearliest quotation 2020Monticello
Earliest quotation: 2020, Emily St. John Mandel, The Glass Hotel: “Not the famous Monticello in Virginia, the Monticello in…”
The story
Originally borrowed from Italian monticello (‘little mount’). Many places in the United States are named after Thomas Jefferson's estate.
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *men- ‘to stand out, to tower’
mind, music, money, remain, comment, museum, mental, mouth, auto, mountain, permanent, min, mention, monster, monitor, maya, monetary, mentor, mint, demonstration, amnesty, muse, ming, monk, mas, imminent, mandarin, dementia, monument, mania, muster, prominence, eminent, menace, monastery, amnesia, mantra, mosaic, summon, remnant, 121 more
through Proto-Italic *monts
through Latin mōns ‘mountain, mount’
Today it means
name The estate of Thomas Jefferson.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *men- / Monticello