English
art
Art comes from Middle English art, from Old French art, from Latin artem, accusative of ars ‘art’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₂er- ‘to fit, put together’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂er-‘to fit’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂értisreconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*artisreconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEars
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEartemaccusative of ars
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400art
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500art
- Englishearliest quotation 1796art
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂er-‘to fit’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂értisreconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*artisreconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEars
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEartemaccusative of ars
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400art
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500art
- Englishearliest quotation 1796art
Earliest quotation: 1796, Matthew Lewis, The Monk: “A physician was immediately sent for; but on the…”
The story
Partly displaced native Old English cræft, whence Modern English craft.
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *h₂er- ‘to fit, to fix, to put together, to slot’
order, reason, ready, rate, army, article, ratio, ordinary, arm, coordination, alarm, coordinate, harmony, armor, subordinate, ordination, ornament, anarchy, ornate, arithmetic, arthritis, articulate, harmonic, aristocratic, adorn, harmonious, ordinate, ordinator, armament, articulation, ordinal, artisan, rime, ordain, armadillo, harmonize, ordo, armature, archon, orn, 73 more
through Proto-Indo-European *h₂értis
through Proto-Italic *artis
through Latin ars
Today it means
noun The conscious production or arrangement of sounds, colours, forms, movements, or other elements in a manner that affects the senses and emotions, usually specifically the production of the beautiful in a graphic or plastic medium.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *h₂er- / art