English
funambulist
Funambulist may come from French funambule ‘tightrope walker’.
- Frenchc. 1600–presentfunambule‘tightrope walker’uncertain
- Englishearliest quotation 2012funambulist
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Earlier history uncertain.
Lineage
- Frenchc. 1600–presentfunambule‘tightrope walker’uncertain
- Englishearliest quotation 2012funambulist
Earliest quotation: 2012, David Hakim, After Century-Long Wait, Stage Is Set for Man Daring to Cros: “A female funambulist, Maria Spelterini, on various occasions tightrope-walked…”
A compound of funis ‘rope’ + ambulare ‘walk’
Proto-Indo-European *bʰendʰ- ‘to bind’
Proto-Indo-European *bʰóndʰis
Proto-Italic *fūdnis
Latin funis ‘rope’
Proto-Indo-European *h₂elh₂- ‘to wander’
Proto-Italic *alō
Latin *alō ‘to wander’
Latin ambulō ‘walk’
Every English word from French funambule
Today it means
noun A tightrope walker or a similar performer on a slack rope.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / French funambule / funambulist