English
dubious
Dubious comes from Latin dubius ‘Vacillating in mind, wavering, uncertain,…’, from duo ‘two’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *gʰeh₁bʰ- ‘to grab, take’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*gʰeh₁bʰ-‘to grab, take’root as named
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*dwóh₁‘two’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*duō‘two’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEduo‘two’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEdubius‘Vacillating in mind, wavering, uncertain, doubting, doubtful, dubious, irresolute’
- Englishearliest quotation 1960dubious
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*gʰeh₁bʰ-‘to grab, take’root as named
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*dwóh₁‘two’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*duō‘two’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEduo‘two’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEdubius‘Vacillating in mind, wavering, uncertain, doubting, doubtful, dubious, irresolute’
- Englishearliest quotation 1960dubious
Earliest quotation: 1960, H. P. White, The Hawkhurst branch of the Southern Region: “There are several reasons why the line's future is…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *gʰeh₁bʰ- ‘to grab, take’
able, average, due, ability, exhibition, habit, endeavor, prohibition, debit, prohibit, inhibit, javelin, gab, haver, aver, debenture, habilitation, 27 more
through Proto-Indo-European *dwóh₁ ‘two’
two, vice, defeat, twin, binary, diplomacy, twain, disparate, vicious, bis, twig, biceps, binocular, betwixt, 20 more
through Proto-Italic *duō ‘two’
through Latin duo ‘two’
through Latin dubius ‘Vacillating in mind, wavering, uncertain,…’
Today it means
adj Arousing doubt; questionable; open to suspicion.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *gʰeh₁bʰ- / dubious