Etymograph

English

executor

Executor comes from Latin exsecūtor ‘accomplisher, performer’, from sequor ‘follow’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *sekʷ-.

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*sekʷ-‘to follow’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*sékʷetor‘to be following’reconstructed
  3. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*sekʷōr‘to follow, come/go after’reconstructed
  4. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEsequor‘follow’
  5. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEexsequor‘to follow after thoroughly, steadfastly accompany, go after, seek after’
  6. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEexsecūtor‘accomplisher, performer’
  7. Anglo-Normanc. 1066–1400executour
  8. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500same form
  9. Englishearliest quotation 1599executor

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*sekʷ-‘to follow’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*sékʷetor‘to be following’reconstructed
  3. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*sekʷōr‘to follow, come/go after’reconstructed
  4. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEsequor‘follow’
  5. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEexsequor‘to follow after thoroughly, steadfastly accompany, go after, seek after’
  6. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEexsecūtor‘accomplisher, performer’
  7. Anglo-Normanc. 1066–1400executour
  8. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500same form
  9. Englishearliest quotation 1599executor

Earliest quotation: 1599, William Shakespeare, The Life of Henry the Fift: “The sad-eyed justice, with his surly hum, / Delivering…”

Linked words

through Proto-Indo-European *sekʷ- ‘to follow’

see, say, second, social, saw, society, sight, associate, subsequent, sue, suite, consequence, consequently, saga, intrinsic, sequential, sequestration, dissociation, sequester, dissociate, extrinsic, seg, 32 more

through Proto-Italic *sekʷōr ‘to follow, come/go after’

pursuit, suitor, 17 more

through Latin sequor ‘follow’

suit, sequence, pursue, sequel, consecutive, prosecution, sect, persecution, consequent, ensue, segue, sequitur, persecute, 19 more

Today it means

noun A person who carries out some task.

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

Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *sekʷ- / executor

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