Etymograph

English

abele

Abele comes from Medieval Latin albellus ‘white poplar’, and goes back to Proto-Indo-European *albʰós.

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*albʰós‘white’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*alβos‘white’reconstructed
  3. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEalbus‘white’
  4. Medieval Latinc. 600–1500albellus‘white poplar’diminutive of albus
  5. Old Frenchc. 842–1400aubel
  6. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500abelle
  7. Englishearliest quotation 1792abele

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*albʰós‘white’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*alβos‘white’reconstructed
  3. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEalbus‘white’
  4. Medieval Latinc. 600–1500albellus‘white poplar’diminutive of albus
  5. Old Frenchc. 842–1400aubel
  6. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500abelle
  7. Englishearliest quotation 1792abele

Earliest quotation: 1792, Charlotte Smith, Desmond: “But I account for my predilection, by the kind…”

Linked words

through Proto-Indo-European *albʰós ‘white’

elf, elven, oaf, 26 more

through Proto-Italic *alβos ‘white’

albumin, albedo, albumen, 25 more

through Latin albus ‘white’

album, alba, albino, 27 more

Today it means

noun The white poplar (Populus alba).

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

Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *albʰós / abele

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