English
cellulite
Cellulite comes from French cellule ‘cell’, from Latin cellula ‘small room, especially that of a slave’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *ḱel- ‘to cover’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*ḱel-‘to cover’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEcella‘a small room, a hut, storeroom’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEcellula‘small room, especially that of a slave’
- Frenchc. 1600–presentcellule‘cell’
- French, derivedc. 1600–presentcellulite
- Englishtodaysame form
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*ḱel-‘to cover’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEcella‘a small room, a hut, storeroom’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEcellula‘small room, especially that of a slave’
- Frenchc. 1600–presentcellule‘cell’
- French, derivedc. 1600–presentcellulite
- Englishtodaysame form
Equivalent to cellule + -ite
Proto-Indo-European *ḱel- ‘to cover’
Latin cella ‘a small room, a hut, storeroom’
Latin cellula ‘a small apartment’
English cellule
first attested First attested in the 1960s (as stated in the etymology)
The story
First attested in the 1960s.
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *ḱel- ‘to cover’
color, hell, hole, hall, holder, halt, ceiling, helmet, hollow, holden, hull, uphold, helm, conceal, clandestine, occult, sari, sala, cilia, recline, declension, tricolour, declination, haugh, halberd, holing, seel, hele, 35 more
through Latin cella ‘a small room, a hut, storeroom’
Today it means
noun Skin dimpling caused by the herniation (protrusion) of subcutaneous adipose tissue (fat within connective tissue), especially on the pelvic area of women.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *ḱel- / cellulite