English
censer
Censer comes from Old French encensier, from encens ‘incense’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₁én ‘in’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₁én‘in’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*en‘in’reconstructed
- Proto-Italic, derivedc. 1500–700 BCE*en-‘in, into, in-’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEincendō‘to set on fire, burn, kindle’
- Late Latinc. 200–600 CEincēnsum
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400encens‘incense’
- Old French, derivedc. 842–1400encensier
- Anglo-Normanc. 1066–1400censier
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500censer
- Englishearliest quotation 1831censer
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₁én‘in’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*en‘in’reconstructed
- Proto-Italic, derivedc. 1500–700 BCE*en-‘in, into, in-’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEincendō‘to set on fire, burn, kindle’
- Late Latinc. 200–600 CEincēnsum
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400encens‘incense’
- Old French, derivedc. 842–1400encensier
- Anglo-Normanc. 1066–1400censier
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500censer
- Englishearliest quotation 1831censer
Earliest quotation: 1831, Letitia Elizabeth Landon, London: Henry Colburn and Richard Bentley: “A thousand wax tapers burned in honour of the…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *h₁én ‘in’
in, internal, entrance, indigenous, intern, endo, dysentery, interregnum, enteral, 31 more
through Proto-Italic *en ‘in’
intimate, encounter, intestine, ensemble, intimation, agog, 7 more
through Proto-Italic *en- ‘in, into, in-’
impulse, infirmary, incubation, infirm, incubus, incubate, impel, 6 more
through Latin incendō ‘to set on fire, burn, kindle’
through Old French encens ‘incense’
Today it means
noun An ornamental container for burning incense, especially during religious ceremonies.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *h₁én / censer