English
ensign
Ensign comes from Latin īnsigne, from īnsignis ‘marked, distinguished’, and ultimately from Proto-Italic *segnom ‘sign’.
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*segnom‘sign’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEsignum‘a sign, an emblem’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEīnsignis‘marked, distinguished’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEīnsigneas īnsignia
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400enseigne
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500ensigne
- Englishearliest quotation 1591ensign
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Earlier history uncertain.
Lineage
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*segnom‘sign’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEsignum‘a sign, an emblem’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEīnsignis‘marked, distinguished’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEīnsigneas īnsignia
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400enseigne
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500ensigne
- Englishearliest quotation 1591ensign
Earliest quotation: 1591, William Shakespeare, The First Part of Henry the Sixt: “Hang up your ensigns, let your drums be still”.
The story
From Middle English ensigne, from Old French enseigne, from Latin īnsignia, nominative plural of īnsigne, meaning marked, distinguished.
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *sek- ‘to cut’
saw, sex, risk, section, ship, sexual, segment, sack, scarlet, sawyer, insect, designation, sax, het, shingle, sickle, dissect, scythe, seg, sedge, sich, desiccation, brassica, desiccant, assignation, 49 more
through Proto-Italic *segnom ‘sign’
design, sealing, resign, assign, consign, 15 more
through Latin signum ‘a sign, an emblem’
significant, seal, signal, significance, signify, sain, signet, sigil, signification, 9 more
through Latin īnsigne
Today it means
noun A badge of office, rank, or power.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Italic *segnom / ensign