English
cargo
Cargo comes from Spanish cargo ‘load, burden’, from Latin carrus ‘a wagon, a two-wheeled baggage cart’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *ḱers- ‘to run’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*ḱers-‘to run’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*ḱr̥sós‘vehicle, literally runner’reconstructedzero-grade form of *ḱers-
- Proto-Celticc. 1300–800 BCE*karros‘wagon’reconstructed
- Gaulishc. 500 BCE–500 CEsame form‘wagon’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEcarrus‘a wagon, a two-wheeled baggage cart’
- Late Latinc. 200–600 CEcarricō‘to load’
- Spanishc. 1500–presentcargar‘to load’
- Spanish, derivedc. 1500–presentcargo‘load, burden’
- Englishearliest quotation 1806same form
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*ḱers-‘to run’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*ḱr̥sós‘vehicle, literally runner’reconstructedzero-grade form of *ḱers-
- Proto-Celticc. 1300–800 BCE*karros‘wagon’reconstructed
- Gaulishc. 500 BCE–500 CEsame form‘wagon’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEcarrus‘a wagon, a two-wheeled baggage cart’
- Late Latinc. 200–600 CEcarricō‘to load’
- Spanishc. 1500–presentcargar‘to load’
- Spanish, derivedc. 1500–presentcargo‘load, burden’
- Englishearliest quotation 1806same form
Earliest quotation: 1806, James Harrison: “[…]her whole and entire cargo; and, also, all such…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *ḱers- ‘to run’
course, current, rush, occur, currency, hurry, curriculum, corridor, courier, precursor, incur, concur, cursor, hurrah, recursive, corsair, carousel, recursion, recur, courant, succour, hussar, 41 more
through Proto-Indo-European *ḱr̥sós ‘vehicle, literally runner’
through Latin carrus ‘a wagon, a two-wheeled baggage cart’
car, career, carry, carrier, discharge, carriage, chariot, recharge, caricature, carrack, 10 more
through Late Latin carricō ‘to load’
Today it means
noun Freight carried by a ship, aircraft, or motor vehicle.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *ḱers- / cargo