English
directory
Directory comes from Medieval Latin dīrēctōrium ‘guide’, from Latin regō ‘to rule, govern, direct’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₃reǵ- ‘to straighten’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₃reǵ-‘to straighten’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₃réǵeti‘to be straightening, to be setting upright’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*regōreconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEregō‘to rule, govern, direct’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEdīrigō‘direct to a place, guide, steer’
- Medieval Latinc. 600–1500dīrēctōrium‘guide’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500directorie
- Englishearliest quotation 2015directory
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₃reǵ-‘to straighten’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₃réǵeti‘to be straightening, to be setting upright’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*regōreconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEregō‘to rule, govern, direct’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEdīrigō‘direct to a place, guide, steer’
- Medieval Latinc. 600–1500dīrēctōrium‘guide’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500directorie
- Englishearliest quotation 2015directory
Earliest quotation: 2015, Jonathan D. Smele, Historical Dictionary of the Russian Civil Wars: “[…] at the Ufa State Conference it was it…”
Equivalent to direct + -ory
Latin regō ‘to make straight, rule’
Latin dīrigō ‘to straighten, direct’
Latin dīrēctus ‘laid straight’
English direct
The story
The political sense is a semantic loan from French directoire.
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *h₃reǵ- ‘to straighten’
right, real, rich, royal, regular, rank, arrangement, roy, radar, correct, arrange, rack, rogue, rex, interrogation, raj, rake, regal, regency, rani, rajah, rhesus, rector, eldritch, riel, derailleur, interregnum, dirigible, retch, rectilinear, 76 more
through Proto-Indo-European *h₃réǵeti ‘to be straightening, to be setting upright’
through Proto-Italic *regō
regional, resource, ruler, regiment, regimen, erectile, erectus, erector, 38 more
through Latin regō ‘to rule, govern, direct’
source, rule, region, address, regime, realm, regulate, resurrection, regent, dresser, erect, insurrection, undress, rectify, dressage, régime, rectum, incorrigible, irregularity, rectification, regula, regio, corregidor, rectitude, rectus, recto, 46 more
through Latin dīrigō ‘direct to a place, guide, steer’
Another origin of directory
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEdīrēctōrius
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500directorye
- Englishtodaydirectory
Today it means
noun A list of names, addresses etc, of specific classes of people or organizations, often in alphabetical order or in some classification.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *h₃reǵ- / directory