Etymograph

English

Sagittarius

Sagittarius comes from Latin sagittārius ‘archer’, and goes back to sagitta ‘arrow’.

  1. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEsagitta‘arrow’
  2. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEsagittārius‘archer’
  3. EnglishtodaySagittarius

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Earlier history uncertain.

Lineage

  1. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEsagitta‘arrow’
  2. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEsagittārius‘archer’
  3. EnglishtodaySagittarius

The story

From Latin sagittārius (‘archer’), calque of Ancient Greek τοξότης (toxótēs); possibly adapted from Akkadian 𒀯𒉺𒉋𒊕 (pabilsaĝ, “the bow-armed god Pabilsaĝ”) (see Pabilsaĝ), from Sumerian 𒀯𒉺𒉋𒊕 (ᴹᵁᴸPA.BIL₂.SAG).

Linked words

through Proto-Indo-European *seh₂g- ‘to seek out’

sake, sucker, hegemony, beseech, saya, hegemon, 20 more

through Proto-Indo-European *séh₂gyeti ‘to seek out, to track’

seek, soc, 6 more

through Latin sāgiō ‘to perceive quickly or keenly’

presage, sagacity, 5 more

Today it means

name A constellation of the zodiac traditionally figured as a centaur drawing a bow. It contains the stars Kaus Australis, Kaus Borealis and Nunki.

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

Etymograph / Latin sagitta / Sagittarius

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