English
aviator
Aviator comes from French aviateur ‘aviator (male)’, from Latin avis ‘bird’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₂ew- ‘dress, be dressed, clothe oneself’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂ew-‘dress, be dressed, clothe oneself’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂ówis‘sheep’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂éwis‘bird’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*awis‘bird’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEavis‘bird’
- Frenchc. 1600–presentaviation
- French, derivedc. 1600–presentaviateur‘aviator (male)’
- Englishearliest quotation 2016aviator
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂ew-‘dress, be dressed, clothe oneself’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂ówis‘sheep’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂éwis‘bird’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*awis‘bird’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEavis‘bird’
- Frenchc. 1600–presentaviation
- French, derivedc. 1600–presentaviateur‘aviator (male)’
- Englishearliest quotation 2016aviator
Earliest quotation: 2016, Karla Pequenino, The women pilots that history forgot: “Ruth Elder was known for her beauty and acting,…”
Equivalent to avi- + -ator
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *h₂ew- ‘dress, be dressed, clothe oneself’
audience, ear, audit, acoustic, obey, audible, anesthesia, ovation, avid, aural, avarice, otolaryngology, 67 more
through Proto-Indo-European *h₂ówis ‘sheep’
through Proto-Indo-European *h₂éwis ‘bird’
through Latin avis ‘bird’
Today it means
noun An aircraft pilot, especially a military pilot. The use of the word may imply claims of superior airmanship, as in navy aviator vs. air force pilot.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *h₂ew- / aviator