Etymograph

English

devastavit

Devastavit comes from Medieval Latin dēvastāvit ‘he has wasted’, and goes back to Proto-Indo-European *weh₂st- ‘empty’.

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*weh₂st-‘empty’reconstructed
  2. Medieval Latinc. 600–1500vastus‘deserted, wasted’
  3. Medieval Latin, derivedc. 600–1500vastō‘to devastate, lay waste, ravage’
  4. Medieval Latin, derivedc. 600–1500dēvastō‘to devastate, lay waste’
  5. Medieval Latin, derivedc. 600–1500dēvastāre
  6. Medieval Latin, derivedc. 600–1500dēvastāvit‘he has wasted’
  7. Englishearliest quotation 1702devastavit

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*weh₂st-‘empty’reconstructed
  2. Medieval Latinc. 600–1500vastus‘deserted, wasted’
  3. Medieval Latin, derivedc. 600–1500vastō‘to devastate, lay waste, ravage’
  4. Medieval Latin, derivedc. 600–1500dēvastō‘to devastate, lay waste’
  5. Medieval Latin, derivedc. 600–1500dēvastāre
  6. Medieval Latin, derivedc. 600–1500dēvastāvit‘he has wasted’
  7. Englishearliest quotation 1702devastavit

Earliest quotation: 1702, The Law of Executors and Administrators, Directions for the Management of their Office and Duty: “Waſt may be committed by ſelling or confuſing the…”

Linked words

through Medieval Latin vastus ‘deserted, wasted’

vast, 3 more

Today it means

noun Waste or misapplication of the assets of a deceased person by an executor or administrator; devastation.

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

Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *weh₂st- / devastavit

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