English
immortal
Immortal comes from Latin immortālis ‘immortal, undying, not subject to death’, from mortālis ‘mortal’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *mer- ‘to die’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*mer-‘to die’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*mértis‘death’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*mortis‘death’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEmors‘death’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEmortālis‘mortal’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEimmortālis‘immortal, undying, not subject to death’
- Englishearliest quotation 1603immortal
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*mer-‘to die’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*mértis‘death’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*mortis‘death’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEmors‘death’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEmortālis‘mortal’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEimmortālis‘immortal, undying, not subject to death’
- Englishearliest quotation 1603immortal
Earliest quotation: 1603, John Hayward: “immortal and mercyless butchery”.
The story
The term referring to the Persian soldiers was a Calque of Ancient Greek ἀθάνατος (athánatos). One suggestion claimed that "Immortals" were named by the ancient Greeks because wounded soldiers were quickly replaced, while another claimed that it was because Greek informants confused Old Persian *anauša- (‘immortal, without death’) with Old Persian *anūšiya- (‘companion, royal bodyguard’).
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *mer- ‘to die’
remember, march, murder, marine, nightmare, mere, marsh, maritime, mare, mara, muller, mortar, moor, morbid, ambrosia, marinate, morn, marinara, mortuary, maar, moribund, cormorant, mortally, mortier, 57 more
through Proto-Italic *mortis ‘death’
mortification, mortician, 8 more
through Latin mors ‘death’
through Latin mortālis ‘mortal’
Today it means
adj Not susceptible to death; living forever; never dying.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *mer- / immortal