English
emulative
Emulative comes from New Latin emulatīvus.
- New Latinc. 1500–1900emulatīvus
- Englishearliest quotation 1859emulative
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- New Latinc. 1500–1900emulatīvus
- Englishearliest quotation 1859emulative
Earliest quotation: 1859, Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities: “It took four men, all four ablaze with gorgeous…”
Equivalent to emulate + -ive
Proto-Indo-European *h₂eym- ‘to imitate’
Proto-Italic *aimos ‘imitation’
Latin aemulus ‘rival, emulator’
Latin aemulor ‘to rival, emulate’
Latin aemulātus
English emulate
first attested First attested in 1593 (as stated in the etymology)
The story
First attested in 1593; borrowed from New Latin emulatīvus, by surface analysis, emulate + -ive.
Every English word from New Latin emulatīvus
Today it means
adj Having a tendency to emulate others; imitative.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / New Latin emulatīvus / emulative