English
biped
Biped comes from Latin bipēs ‘two-footed, bipedal’, from pēs ‘a human foot’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *ped- ‘to walk, to step’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*ped-‘to walk, to step’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*pṓds‘foot’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*pets‘foot’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEpēs‘a human foot’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEbipēs‘two-footed, bipedal’
- Englishearliest quotation 1821biped
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*ped-‘to walk, to step’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*pṓds‘foot’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*pets‘foot’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEpēs‘a human foot’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEbipēs‘two-footed, bipedal’
- Englishearliest quotation 1821biped
Earliest quotation: 1821, Walter Scott, Robinson: “This knave, […] shoes horses better than e'er a…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *ped- ‘to walk, to step’
pilot, fetch, expedition, footing, impeachment, footed, fet, expedite, fetter, pada, ped, 48 more
through Proto-Indo-European *pṓds ‘foot’
feet, foot, podium, pug, pew, baht, puy, poy, tripos, 37 more
through Proto-Italic *pets ‘foot’
through Latin pēs ‘a human foot’
pioneer, pedestrian, pedal, pedigree, impediment, pes, impede, pedicure, petiole, centipede, peon, expeditious, pedometer, pedicel, pedicle, 12 more
Today it means
noun An animal, being, or construction that goes about on two feet (or two legs).
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *ped- / biped