English
election
Election comes from Anglo-Norman eleccioun, from Latin ēlectiō ‘choice’, from ēligō ‘to choose’, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *leǵ- ‘to gather’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*leǵ-‘to gather’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*léǵetireconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*legōreconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CElegō‘to choose’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEēligō‘to pluck out, to choose’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEēlectiō‘choice, selection’
- Anglo-Normanc. 1066–1400eleccioun
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500eleccioun
- Englishearliest quotation 1603election
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*leǵ-‘to gather’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*léǵetireconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*legōreconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CElegō‘to choose’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEēligō‘to pluck out, to choose’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEēlectiō‘choice, selection’
- Anglo-Normanc. 1066–1400eleccioun
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500eleccioun
- Englishearliest quotation 1603election
Earliest quotation: 1603, Michel de Montaigne, The Essayes […]: “Whosoever searcheth all the circumstances and embraceth all the…”
Formed from elect + -ion
Proto-Indo-European *leǵ- ‘to gather’
…
Proto-Italic *legō
Latin legō ‘to pick out, pick, gather, collect, etc’
Latin ēligō ‘to pick out, choose, elect’
Latin ēlēctus ‘chosen, elected’
English elect
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *leǵ- ‘to gather’
technology, logic, apology, catalogue, trilogy, collect, analogy, terminology, sociology, pathology, logos, physiology, astrology, prologue, pathologist, epilogue, archaeologist, monologue, leach, eulogy, cosmology, etymology, logistic, epistemology, entomology, lexical, homologous, lexicon, gynecologist, lignite, lignin, apologia, alexia, etiology, lexis, syllogism, bacteriology, dialectical, dialectic, bacteriologist, 154 more
through Proto-Italic *legō
intelligence, intelligent, intellectual, legionnaire, legionella, legionary, 20 more
through Latin legō ‘to choose, select’
college, legend, legacy, lesson, collection, colleague, coil, collective, select, negligence, lecture, elegant, collector, delegate, negligent, collegiate, legion, negligible, diligent, delegation, ineligible, cull, legible, legate, collegium, legation, lectern, lector, 25 more
through Latin ēligō ‘to pluck out, to choose’
Today it means
noun A process of choosing a leader, members of parliament, councillors, or other representatives by popular vote.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *leǵ- / election