English
grievous
Grievous comes from Anglo-Norman grevous, from Latin gravō ‘to burden’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *gʷreh₂- ‘heavy’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*gʷreh₂-‘heavy’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*gʷréh₂us‘heavy’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*gʷraus‘heavy’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEgravis‘heavy’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEgravō‘to burden’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400grever
- Anglo-Normanc. 1066–1400grevous
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500same form
- Englishearliest quotation 1837grievous
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*gʷreh₂-‘heavy’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*gʷréh₂us‘heavy’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*gʷraus‘heavy’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEgravis‘heavy’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEgravō‘to burden’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400grever
- Anglo-Normanc. 1066–1400grevous
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500same form
- Englishearliest quotation 1837grievous
Earliest quotation: 1837, Letitia Elizabeth Landon, Age and Youth: “No wonder that the old man's eye dwelt upon…”
Formed from grief + -ous
Proto-Indo-European *gʷreh₂- ‘heavy’
…
Proto-Italic *gʷraus ‘heavy’
Latin gravis ‘heavy, grievous, sad’
Old French grief ‘grave, heavy, grievous, sad’
Middle English greef
English grief
The story
Developed in the 13th century.
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *gʷreh₂- ‘heavy’
bar, guru, brigadier, gravitate, aggravation, brio, brigand, 19 more
through Proto-Indo-European *gʷréh₂us ‘heavy’
brutal, brute, brut, baryon, barite, 17 more
through Latin gravis ‘heavy’
grave, gravity, grief, gravitation, gravitas, 13 more
through Latin gravō ‘to burden’
Today it means
adj Causing grief, pain, or sorrow.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *gʷreh₂- / grievous