English
difficult
Difficult comes from Middle English difficult, back-formed from difficulte, perhaps via Old French from Latin difficultās, from difficilis ‘hard to do’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*dʰeh₁k-reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*dʰh₁kyétireconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*fakjō‘to make’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEfaciō‘to do’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEfacilis‘easy’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEdifficilis‘hard to do, difficult’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEdifficul
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEdifficultās‘difficulty’uncertain
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400difficultéuncertain
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500difficulte‘difficulty’
- Middle English, derivedc. 1150–1500difficult‘difficult’
- Englishearliest quotation 1749same form
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*dʰeh₁k-reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*dʰh₁kyétireconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*fakjō‘to make’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEfaciō‘to do’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEfacilis‘easy’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEdifficilis‘hard to do, difficult’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEdifficul
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEdifficultās‘difficulty’uncertain
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400difficultéuncertain
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500difficulte‘difficulty’
- Middle English, derivedc. 1150–1500difficult‘difficult’
- Englishearliest quotation 1749same form
Earliest quotation: 1749, Henry Fielding, The History of Tom Jones: “I hope, madam,” said Jones, “my charming Lady Bellaston…”
The story
Replaced native Middle English earveþ (‘difficult, hard’), from Old English earfoþe (‘difficult, laborious, full of hardship’), cognate to German Arbeit (‘work’).
Linked words
through Proto-Italic *θakjō
effectively, effectiveness, ineffective, affectionate, imperfection, putrefaction, 65 more
through Proto-Italic *fakjō ‘to make’
effective, factor, interface, perfection, manufacture, faction, affection, imperfect, facet, defection, affective, defector, effector, deface, confectionary, affectation, 71 more
through Latin faciō ‘to make, construct, fashion, frame, build, erect’
face, fact, perfect, effect, feature, profit, affect, infection, affair, facial, feat, efficient, sacrifice, deficit, defect, fetish, facade, counterfeit, infect, superficial, efficacy, deficient, facsimile, façade, hacienda, confection, parfait, maleficent, facies, beautify, refectory, aficionado, efficacious, confit, beneficent, 87 more
through Latin facilis ‘easy’
Today it means
adj Hard, not easy, requiring much effort.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁k- / difficult