English
centurion
Centurion comes from Latin centuriō ‘a commander of a hundred, centurion’, from Proto-Indo-European *déḱm̥t ‘ten’, and ultimately from *h₃enh₂-.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₃enh₂-root as named
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*déḱm̥‘ten’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*déḱm̥t‘ten’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*ḱm̥tóm‘hundred’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*kəntom‘hundred (100)’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEcentum‘a hundred’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEcenturiō‘a commander of a hundred, centurion’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500centurioun
- Englishearliest quotation 2001centurion
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₃enh₂-root as named
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*déḱm̥‘ten’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*déḱm̥t‘ten’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*ḱm̥tóm‘hundred’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*kəntom‘hundred (100)’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEcentum‘a hundred’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEcenturiō‘a commander of a hundred, centurion’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500centurioun
- Englishearliest quotation 2001centurion
Earliest quotation: 2001, Salman Rushdie, Fury: A Novel: “Man,” said the largest, most protective of the Praetorian…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *h₃enh₂-
through Proto-Indo-European *déḱm̥ ‘ten’
ten, dick, decade, dean, dozen, den, diner, decimal, tenfold, denier, deca, dwt, doyen, deni, 50 more
through Proto-Indo-European *ḱm̥tóm ‘hundred’
through Latin centum ‘a hundred’
Today it means
noun An officer of the ancient Roman army, in command of a century of soldiers.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *h₃enh₂- / centurion