Etymograph

English

elementary

Elementary comes from Latin elementum ‘one of the four elements of antiquity’.

  1. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEelementum‘one of the four elements of antiquity’
  2. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEelementārius
  3. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500elementare
  4. Englishearliest quotation 1936elementary

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEelementum‘one of the four elements of antiquity’
  2. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEelementārius
  3. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500elementare
  4. Englishearliest quotation 1936elementary

Earliest quotation: 1936, Rollo Ahmed, The Black Art: “The demon (or elementary) of the South-West wind was…”

Equivalent to element + -ary

Latin elementum ‘a first principle’

Old French element

Middle English element

English element

Every English word from Latin elementum

Today it means

adj Relating to the basic, essential or fundamental part of something.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / Latin elementum / elementary

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