English
ambulatory
Ambulatory comes from Latin ambulatorius ‘Suitable for walking in’, from ambulātor ‘walker’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₂elh₂- ‘to wander, roam’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂elh₂-‘to wander, roam’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*alōreconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEsame form‘to feed, to nourish, to nurture’reconstructed
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEambulō‘to walk’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEambulātor‘walker’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEambulatorius‘Suitable for walking in’
- Englishearliest quotation 1642ambulatory
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂elh₂-‘to wander, roam’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*alōreconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEsame form‘to feed, to nourish, to nurture’reconstructed
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEambulō‘to walk’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEambulātor‘walker’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEambulatorius‘Suitable for walking in’
- Englishearliest quotation 1642ambulatory
Earliest quotation: 1642, Henry Wotton: “The princess of whom his majesty […]had an ambulatory…”
Equivalent to ambulate + -ory
Proto-Indo-European *h₂elh₂- ‘to wander, roam’
Proto-Italic *alō
Latin *alō ‘to feed, to nourish, to nurture’
Latin ambulō ‘to walk, go about’
Latin ambulātus
English ambulate
Linked words
through Latin *alō ‘to feed, to nourish, to nurture’
through Latin ambulō ‘to walk’
Today it means
adj Of, relating to, or adapted to walking.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *h₂elh₂- / ambulatory