English
dirigible
Dirigible comes from French dirigeable ‘dirigible, blimp’, from ballon ‘steerable balloon’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₃reǵ- ‘to straighten’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₃reǵ-‘to straighten’root as named · steps between not traced
- Italianc. 1300–presentbalone
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600ballon‘large ball’
- Frenchc. 1600–presentsame form‘steerable balloon’
- French, derivedc. 1600–presentdirigeable‘dirigible, blimp’
- Englishearliest quotation 1923dirigible
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₃reǵ-‘to straighten’root as named · steps between not traced
- Italianc. 1300–presentbalone
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600ballon‘large ball’
- Frenchc. 1600–presentsame form‘steerable balloon’
- French, derivedc. 1600–presentdirigeable‘dirigible, blimp’
- Englishearliest quotation 1923dirigible
Earliest quotation: 1923, Ernest Bramah pseudonym; Ernest Brammah , (please specify the page): “Do you know, Louis, of any great secret military…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *h₃reǵ- ‘to straighten’
real, right, source, regular, address, royal, director, region, correct, dress, rule, rich, direction, direct, rank, arrangement, roy, radar, regime, arrange, rack, ana, rex, rogue, regulate, resurrection, interrogation, raj, erect, regent, rake, rector, regal, regency, insurrection, rectify, anorexia, rani, rectum, rajah, 106 more
through Middle French ballon ‘large ball’
through French ballon ‘steerable balloon’
Today it means
noun A self-propelled airship that can be steered.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *h₃reǵ- / dirigible