Etymograph

English

chandelier

Chandelier comes from French chandelier ‘candlestick’, from Latin candeō ‘shine, glitter’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *(s)kend-.

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*(s)kend-‘to shine, appear’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*kandēōreconstructed
  3. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEcandeō‘shine, glitter’
  4. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEcandela‘a candle’
  5. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEcandelabrum‘branched candlestick’
  6. Frenchc. 1600–presentchandelier‘candlestick’
  7. Englishearliest quotation 1929same form

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*(s)kend-‘to shine, appear’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*kandēōreconstructed
  3. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEcandeō‘shine, glitter’
  4. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEcandela‘a candle’
  5. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEcandelabrum‘branched candlestick’
  6. Frenchc. 1600–presentchandelier‘candlestick’
  7. Englishearliest quotation 1929same form

Earliest quotation: 1929, M. Barnard Eldershaw: “She opened the drawing-room door in trepidation. Would she…”

Linked words

through Proto-Indo-European *(s)kend- ‘to shine, appear’

candidature, 8 more

through Proto-Italic *kandēō

candida, 9 more

through Latin candeō ‘shine, glitter’

candidate, candid, incendiary, incandescent, candor, 10 more

through Latin candela ‘a candle’

candle, candela, 3 more

Today it means

noun A branched, often ornate, light fixture suspended from a ceiling.

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

Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *(s)kend- / chandelier

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