Etymograph

English

alastor

Alastor comes from Ancient Greek ἀλάστωρ ‘avenging spirit or deity’, from ἄλαστος ‘insufferable’, and ultimately from λανθάνω ‘escape a person's notice’.

  1. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEλανθάνω‘escape a person's notice’
  2. Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEἄλαστος‘insufferable’
  3. Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEἀλάστωρalástōr‘avenging spirit or deity’
  4. Englishearliest quotation 1778alastor

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Earlier history uncertain.

Lineage

  1. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEλανθάνω‘escape a person's notice’
  2. Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEἄλαστος‘insufferable’
  3. Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEἀλάστωρalástōr‘avenging spirit or deity’
  4. Englishearliest quotation 1778alastor

Earliest quotation: 1778, The Dramatick Works of Beaumont and Flet: “Dog, leave thy snarling, or I'll cut thy tongue…”

Linked words

through Proto-Indo-European *leh₂- ‘to be hidden, be covered’

loom, lull, latent, lament, lethargic, loll, lethe, laika, 16 more

Today it means

noun An avenging spirit or deity, variously associated with the Erinyes, Nemesis, and more.

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

Etymograph / Ancient Greek λανθάνω / alastor

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