English
collector
Collector comes from Late Latin collēctor ‘fellow student’, from Latin colligō ‘to gather together’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *leǵ-.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*leǵ-‘to gather, collect, with derivatives meaning to speak by carefully selecting one's words’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*léǵetireconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*legōreconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CElegō‘bring together, gather, collect’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEcolligō‘to gather together’
- Late Latinc. 200–600 CEcollēctor‘fellow student’
- Anglo-Normanc. 1066–1400collectour
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500collectour
- Englishearliest quotation 1655collector
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*leǵ-‘to gather, collect, with derivatives meaning to speak by carefully selecting one's words’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*léǵetireconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*legōreconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CElegō‘bring together, gather, collect’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEcolligō‘to gather together’
- Late Latinc. 200–600 CEcollēctor‘fellow student’
- Anglo-Normanc. 1066–1400collectour
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500collectour
- Englishearliest quotation 1655collector
Earliest quotation: 1655, Anthony Wood: “Whereupon he soon after appointed A. W. his collector…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *leǵ- ‘to gather, collect, with derivatives meaning…’
technology, logic, catalogue, apology, trilogy, analogy, sociology, terminology, logos, physiology, pathology, astrology, epilogue, monologue, logistic, prologue, leach, eulogy, pathologist, archaeologist, lexical, etymology, epistemology, lexicon, cosmology, homologous, entomology, lignite, lignin, etiology, gynecologist, alexia, dialectical, lexis, dialectic, apologia, bacteriology, syllogism, bacteriologist, 154 more
through Proto-Italic *legō
intelligence, selection, intelligent, intellectual, ineligible, elector, legionnaire, legionella, legionary, 19 more
through Latin legō ‘bring together, gather, collect’
election, elite, lesson, legend, legacy, eligible, select, delegation, elegant, legion, negligence, lecture, delegate, elect, colleague, negligent, negligible, diligent, collegiate, legible, legation, legate, ineligibility, lectern, collegium, 29 more
through Latin colligō ‘to gather together’
Today it means
noun A person who or thing that collects, or which creates or manages a collection.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *leǵ- / collector