English
biga
Biga comes from Latin bīga ‘pair of horses’, from Proto-Italic *jugom ‘yoke’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *yewg-.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*yewg-‘to yoke, harness, join’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*yugóm‘yoke’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*jugom‘yoke’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEiugumas iuga‘a yoke or collar (for a horse)’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEbīga‘pair of horses’
- Englishearliest quotation 1914biga
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*yewg-‘to yoke, harness, join’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*yugóm‘yoke’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*jugom‘yoke’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEiugumas iuga‘a yoke or collar (for a horse)’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEbīga‘pair of horses’
- Englishearliest quotation 1914biga
Earliest quotation: 1914, Ernest Bramah: “A biga or quadriga of mules?" suggested Carrados. "An…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *yewg- ‘to yoke, harness, join’
join, junction, yoga, adjunct, jodi, juncture, jugular, yojana, subjugate, 41 more
through Proto-Indo-European *yugóm ‘yoke’
yogi, yoke, zygote, yuga, 11 more
through Latin iugum ‘a yoke or collar (for a horse)’
Another origin of biga
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*yewg-‘to yoke, harness, join’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*yugóm‘yoke’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*jugom‘yoke’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEiugumas iuga‘a yoke or collar (for a horse)’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEbīga‘chariot (two-wheeled)’
- Italianc. 1300–presentbiga‘chariot (two-wheeled)’
- Englishtodaysame form
Today it means
noun A Roman racing chariot drawn by two horses abreast.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *yewg- / biga