Etymograph

English

binocular

Binocular comes from French binoculaire, from Latin bīnus ‘double’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *dwóh₁ ‘two’.

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*dwóh₁‘two’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*dwís‘twice, doubly’reconstructed
  3. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*dwis‘twice’reconstructed
  4. Proto-Italic, derivedc. 1500–700 BCE*dwiznosreconstructed
  5. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEbīnus‘double’
  6. Frenchc. 1600–presentbinoculaire
  7. Englishearliest quotation 1713binocular

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*dwóh₁‘two’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*dwís‘twice, doubly’reconstructed
  3. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*dwis‘twice’reconstructed
  4. Proto-Italic, derivedc. 1500–700 BCE*dwiznosreconstructed
  5. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEbīnus‘double’
  6. Frenchc. 1600–presentbinoculaire
  7. Englishearliest quotation 1713binocular

Earliest quotation: 1713, William Derham, Physico-Theology: Or: “Most animals are binocular.”

Linked words

through Proto-Indo-European *dwóh₁ ‘two’

two, doubt, vice, dual, twin, duo, vicious, duet, dubious, twain, disparate, twig, deuce, bes, 21 more

through Proto-Indo-European *dwís ‘twice, doubly’

defeat, diplomacy, betwixt, 12 more

through Proto-Italic *dwis ‘twice’

bis, biceps, 5 more

through Latin bīnus ‘double’

binary, 1 more

Today it means

adj Using two eyes or viewpoints; especially, using two eyes or viewpoints to ascertain distance.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *dwóh₁ / binocular

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