English
altiloquent
Altiloquent comes from Medieval Latin altiloquus ‘altiloquent, boastful’, from altus ‘high, tall’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₂el- ‘grow, nourish’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂el-‘grow, nourish’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂eltósreconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*altosreconstructed
- Medieval Latinc. 600–1500altus‘high, tall’
- Medieval Latin, derivedc. 600–1500altiloquus‘altiloquent, boastful’
- Englishearliest quotation 1921altiloquent
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂el-‘grow, nourish’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂eltósreconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*altosreconstructed
- Medieval Latinc. 600–1500altus‘high, tall’
- Medieval Latin, derivedc. 600–1500altiloquus‘altiloquent, boastful’
- Englishearliest quotation 1921altiloquent
Earliest quotation: 1921, Holman Day, All Wool Morrison: “He remembered that the politeness seemed too elaborate, too…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *h₂el- ‘grow, nourish’
as, all, else, adult, el, ultimate, element, ultra, alien, ellen, outrage, alternate, ou, alumni, alter, qualification, abolish, alpine, adolescent, alias, alum, proletariat, retaliate, alimony, alibi, alp, ulterior, parallax, altruism, coalesce, foetal, aad, althea, withal, 63 more
through Proto-Indo-European *h₂eltós
old, elder, auld, eld, 13 more
through Medieval Latin altus ‘high, tall’
altitude, altar, alt, alto, haughty, haut, exalt, altimeter, 12 more
Today it means
adj Pompous, or pretentious in speech
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *h₂el- / altiloquent