English
frigidity
Frigidity comes from Latin frīgiditās ‘coldness’, from frīgidus ‘cold, cool, chilling, frigid’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *sríHgos.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*sríHgos‘cold, frost’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*srīgosreconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEfrīgus‘cold, coldness, coolness, chilliness’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEfrīgeō‘to be cold’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEfrīgidus‘cold, cool, chilling, frigid’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEfrīgiditās‘coldness’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEfrīgiditātemaccusative of frīgiditās
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600frigidité
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500frigiditee
- Englishearliest quotation 1650frigidity
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*sríHgos‘cold, frost’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*srīgosreconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEfrīgus‘cold, coldness, coolness, chilliness’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEfrīgeō‘to be cold’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEfrīgidus‘cold, cool, chilling, frigid’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEfrīgiditās‘coldness’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEfrīgiditātemaccusative of frīgiditās
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600frigidité
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500frigiditee
- Englishearliest quotation 1650frigidity
Earliest quotation: 1650, Thomas Browne, Of the Cameleon: “It cannot be denied it [the chameleon] is (if…”
Linked words
through Latin frīgus ‘cold, coldness, coolness, chilliness’
refrigeration, refrigerant, 11 more
through Latin frīgeō ‘to be cold’
Today it means
noun The state of being frigid; coldness; lack of heat.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *sríHgos / frigidity