English
alternate
Alternate comes from Latin alternātus ‘alternated, vacillated’, from alternō ‘to take turns’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₂el- ‘beyond, other’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂el-‘beyond, other’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂élyos‘other, another’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*aljos‘another’reconstructed
- Proto-Italic, derivedc. 1500–700 BCE*aliteros‘other (of two)’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEalter‘the other’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEalternus‘one after the other, alternate’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEalternō‘to take turns’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEalternātus‘alternated, vacillated’perfect passive participle of alternō
- Englishearliest quotation 1701alternate
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂el-‘beyond, other’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂élyos‘other, another’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*aljos‘another’reconstructed
- Proto-Italic, derivedc. 1500–700 BCE*aliteros‘other (of two)’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEalter‘the other’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEalternus‘one after the other, alternate’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEalternō‘to take turns’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEalternātus‘alternated, vacillated’perfect passive participle of alternō
- Englishearliest quotation 1701alternate
Earliest quotation: 1701, Nehemiah Grew: “The most high God, in all things appertaining unto…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *h₂el- ‘beyond, other’
as, all, old, adult, el, element, ellen, ultimate, ultra, elder, outrage, ou, alumni, qualification, adolescent, altitude, abolish, alpine, altar, alt, alias, alum, alto, auld, alimony, proletariat, alp, retaliate, coalesce, foetal, ulterior, aad, eld, exalt, althea, withal, altimeter, 60 more
through Proto-Indo-European *h₂élyos ‘other, another’
else, alienation, parallax, inalienable, alienate, 31 more
through Proto-Italic *aljos ‘another’
through Proto-Italic *aliteros ‘other (of two)’
through Latin alter ‘the other’
Today it means
adj Happening by turns; one following the other in succession of time or place; first one and then the other (repeatedly).
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *h₂el- / alternate