English
eligible
Eligible comes from Middle French eligible ‘choosable’, and goes back to 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, select’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEēligō‘to select, to choose’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEeligibilis
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600eligible‘choosable’
- Englishearliest quotation 2007eligible
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, select’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEēligō‘to select, to choose’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEeligibilis
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600eligible‘choosable’
- Englishearliest quotation 2007eligible
Earliest quotation: 2007, Diane Ravitch, Get Congress Out of the Classroom: “Federal agencies report that only about 1 percent of…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *leǵ- ‘to gather’
technology, collect, logic, apology, catalogue, trilogy, sociology, analogy, terminology, physiology, pathology, logos, astrology, monologue, prologue, epilogue, leach, eulogy, pathologist, archaeologist, cosmology, etymology, logistic, lexicon, epistemology, entomology, lexical, homologous, gynecologist, etiology, dialectical, dialectic, bacteriology, alexia, lexis, apologia, lignite, lignin, bacteriologist, syllogism, 152 more
through Proto-Italic *legō
intelligence, intellectual, intelligent, legionnaire, legionella, legionary, 18 more
through Latin legō ‘to choose, select’
college, collection, selection, lesson, legend, legacy, collective, select, lecture, colleague, collector, coil, delegation, elegant, legion, delegate, negligence, collegiate, negligent, cull, diligent, elector, negligible, legation, legate, lectern, legible, collegium, lector, 23 more
through Latin ēligō ‘to select, to choose’
election, elite, elect, 7 more
through Latin eligibilis
Today it means
adj Allowed to and meeting the necessary conditions required to participate in or be chosen for something.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *leǵ- / eligible