Etymograph

English

fuse

Fuse comes from Italian fuso, and goes back to Latin fūsus ‘spindle’.

  1. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEfūsus1‘spindle’
  2. Italianc. 1300–presentfuso1
  3. Englishearliest quotation 1962fuse1

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor

  1. 1 Wiktionary, English fuse
  2. Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: 1962, Talking of Trains: Passed to you, Mr. Macmillan: “The Government, having lit the fuse, is not going…”.

Lineage

  1. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEfūsusWiktionary, English fuse‘spindle’
  2. Italianc. 1300–presentfusoWiktionary, English fuse
  3. Englishearliest quotation 1962fuseWiktionary, English fuse. Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: 1962, Talking of Trains: Passed to you, Mr. Macmillan: “The Government, having lit the fuse, is not going…”

Linked words

through Latin fūsus ‘spindle’

fusion, fusarium, fusiform, 7 more

Another origin of fuse

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*ǵʰewd-‘to pour’root named by Wiktionary
  2. English1500–presentfusion‘to melt’
  3. Englishtodayfuse

Today it means

noun A wick or cord used to convey flame to gunpowder, a bomb, or similar explosive.

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

Etymograph / Latin fūsus / fuse

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