English
bilingual
Bilingual comes from Latin bilinguis ‘Double-tongued, two-tongued’, from dingua ‘pre-classical form of lingua’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *dn̥ǵʰwéh₂s ‘tongue’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*dn̥ǵʰwéh₂s‘tongue’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*dn̥ɣwā‘tongue’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEdingua‘pre-classical form of lingua’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CElingua‘tongue’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEbilinguis‘Double-tongued, two-tongued’
- Englishearliest quotation 1980bilingual
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*dn̥ǵʰwéh₂s‘tongue’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*dn̥ɣwā‘tongue’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEdingua‘pre-classical form of lingua’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CElingua‘tongue’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEbilinguis‘Double-tongued, two-tongued’
- Englishearliest quotation 1980bilingual
Earliest quotation: 1980, Paul Schrader, American Gigolo: “He thinks it's chic to have a bilingual wife.”
Formed from -al
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *dn̥ǵʰwéh₂s ‘tongue’
through Latin dingua ‘pre-classical form of lingua’
linguistics, langue, sublingual, 20 more
through Latin lingua ‘tongue’
language, lang, linguistic, lingo, linguist, lingua, linguine, 23 more
Today it means
adj Having the ability to speak two languages fluently.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *dn̥ǵʰwéh₂s / bilingual