English
elusive
Elusive comes from Latin elusus ‘deceived, tricked, fooled, having been deceived’, and goes back to lūdō ‘play’.
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CElūdō‘play’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEeludo‘to parry a blow, to deceive’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEelusus‘deceived, tricked, fooled, having been deceived’past participle of eludo
- Englishearliest quotation 1910elusive
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Earlier history uncertain.
Lineage
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CElūdō‘play’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEeludo‘to parry a blow, to deceive’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEelusus‘deceived, tricked, fooled, having been deceived’past participle of eludo
- Englishearliest quotation 1910elusive
Earliest quotation: 1910, Jack London: “Charley chased the elusive idea through all the nooks…”
Linked words
through Latin lūdō ‘play’
illusion, ludicrous, interlude, collusion, prelude, delusion, allude, collude, delude, allusive, 17 more
through Latin eludo ‘to parry a blow, to deceive’
Today it means
adj Evading capture, comprehension or remembrance.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Latin lūdō / elusive