Etymograph

English

decorate

Decorate comes from Latin decorātus ‘decorate, adorned, embellished, graced,…’, from decus ‘honor, distinction, glory’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *deḱ- ‘to take’.

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*deḱ-‘to take’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*déḱos‘that which is proper’reconstructed
  3. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*dekos‘dignity’reconstructed
  4. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEdecus‘honor, distinction, glory’
  5. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEdecorō‘to adorn, distinguish, honor’
  6. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEdecorātus‘decorate, adorned, embellished, graced, beautified’perfect passive participle of decorō
  7. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500decorat‘adorned’
  8. Englishtodaydecorate

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*deḱ-‘to take’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*déḱos‘that which is proper’reconstructed
  3. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*dekos‘dignity’reconstructed
  4. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEdecus‘honor, distinction, glory’
  5. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEdecorō‘to adorn, distinguish, honor’
  6. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEdecorātus‘decorate, adorned, embellished, graced, beautified’perfect passive participle of decorō
  7. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500decorat‘adorned’
  8. Englishtodaydecorate

Linked words

through Proto-Indo-European *deḱ- ‘to take’

doctor, document, tail, dignity, decent, doctrine, paradox, disdain, dogma, dainty, fonda, indignation, docile, doctrinal, dodo, indignant, dox, dignitary, docent, digne, décor, deign, 55 more

Today it means

verb To furnish with decorations.

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

Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *deḱ- / decorate

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