Etymograph

English

catena

Catena comes from Medieval Latin catena ‘chain’, and goes back to Proto-Italic *katesnā.

  1. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*katesnāreconstructed
  2. Medieval Latinc. 600–1500catena‘chain’
  3. Englishearliest quotation 1873same form

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*katesnāreconstructed
  2. Medieval Latinc. 600–1500catena‘chain’
  3. Englishearliest quotation 1873same form

Earliest quotation: 1873, Walter Bagehot: “And, on the contrary, there is a whole catena…”

Linked words

through Medieval Latin catena ‘chain’

chain, 9 more

Today it means

noun A series of related items.

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

Etymograph / Proto-Italic *katesnā / catena

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