English
Valentine
Valentine comes from Latin Valēns ‘strong, healthy’, and goes back to Proto-Indo-European *h₂welh₁-.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂welh₁-reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂wl̥h₁éh₁yetireconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*walēō‘to be strong’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEvaleō‘to be well, healthy, sound’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEValēns‘strong, healthy’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEValentīnus
- Englishearliest quotation c. 1599–1602Valentine
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂welh₁-reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂wl̥h₁éh₁yetireconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*walēō‘to be strong’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEvaleō‘to be well, healthy, sound’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEValēns‘strong, healthy’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEValentīnus
- Englishearliest quotation c. 1599–1602Valentine
Earliest quotation: c. 1599–1602, William Shake-speare, The Tragicall Historie of Hamlet: “To morrow is ſaint Valentines day, / All in…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *h₂welh₁-
wild, wool, velvet, validation, wield, fluff, validate, flannel, cuckold, valiant, velour, woll, lanolin, valorous, 37 more
through Proto-Italic *walēō ‘to be strong’
value, validity, invalid, 14 more
through Latin valeō ‘to be well, healthy, sound’
valid, equivalent, avail, valuation, vail, valour, ambivalent, ambivalence, convalescent, convalescence, 16 more
Today it means
name Saint Valentine, a 3rd-century Christian martyr.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *h₂welh₁- / Valentine