English
hostler
Hostler comes from Medieval Latin hostilārius, from hospitāle ‘a guestroom’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *gʰóstipotis ‘lord, master’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*gʰóstipotis‘lord, master’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*hostipotis‘host’reconstructed
- Medieval Latinc. 600–1500hospes‘host’
- Medieval Latin, derivedc. 600–1500hospitālis‘of or pertaining to a host or guest’
- Medieval Latin, derivedc. 600–1500hospitāle‘a guestroom’
- Medieval Latin, derivedc. 600–1500hostilārius
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400hostelier
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600hostiler
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500same form‘a hostler’
- Englishearliest quotation 1848hostler
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*gʰóstipotis‘lord, master’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*hostipotis‘host’reconstructed
- Medieval Latinc. 600–1500hospes‘host’
- Medieval Latin, derivedc. 600–1500hospitālis‘of or pertaining to a host or guest’
- Medieval Latin, derivedc. 600–1500hospitāle‘a guestroom’
- Medieval Latin, derivedc. 600–1500hostilārius
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400hostelier
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600hostiler
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500same form‘a hostler’
- Englishearliest quotation 1848hostler
Earliest quotation: 1848, – 1850 December, William Makepeace Thackeray: “As the chaise drove through Clavering, the hostler standing…”
The story
Both hostler and its alternative form ostler originally meant simply "innkeeper", and acquired a specific association with horses in the second half of the 14th century.
Linked words
through Medieval Latin hospes ‘host’
hospitality, hostage, hospice, hostess, hospitable, hotelier, hospitalist, 7 more
through Medieval Latin hospitālis ‘of or pertaining to a host or guest’
through Medieval Latin hospitāle ‘a guestroom’
Today it means
noun A worker employed at an inn, hostelry, or stable to look after horses.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *gʰóstipotis / hostler