English
adult
Adult comes from Latin adultus ‘grown up’, from adolescō ‘to grow up’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₂el-.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂el-‘to grow’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂oléyetireconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*oleōreconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CE*oleōreconstructed
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEolēscō‘to grow’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEadolescō‘to grow up’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEadultus‘grown up’perfect passive participle of adolescō
- Frenchc. 1600–presentadulte
- Englishearliest quotation 1837adult
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂el-‘to grow’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂oléyetireconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*oleōreconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CE*oleōreconstructed
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEolēscō‘to grow’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEadolescō‘to grow up’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEadultus‘grown up’perfect passive participle of adolescō
- Frenchc. 1600–presentadulte
- Englishearliest quotation 1837adult
Earliest quotation: 1837, Michael Donovan, Domestic Economy: Human Food: “The paws of the adult brown bear, and also…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *h₂el- ‘to grow, nourish’
as, all, old, else, el, element, alien, ultimate, elder, ellen, alternate, alumni, qualification, outrage, ou, alter, altitude, ultra, alpine, altar, abolish, alias, alt, adolescent, alum, alto, alibi, retaliate, alimony, alp, proletariat, parallax, altruism, coalesce, auld, foetal, ulterior, eld, exalt, althea, 67 more
through Latin *oleō
Today it means
noun An animal that is full-grown.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *h₂el- / adult