English
impulse
Impulse comes from Latin impulsus ‘pushed, driven, assailed, having been pushed…’, from Proto-Italic *pelnō ‘to approach’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *pel-.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*pel-root as named
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₁én‘in’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*en‘in’reconstructed
- Proto-Italic, derivedc. 1500–700 BCE*en-‘in, into, in-’reconstructed
- Proto-Italic, derivedc. 1500–700 BCE*pelnō‘to approach’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEpellō‘push, drive’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEimpellō‘push, drive’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEimpulsus‘pushed, driven, assailed, having been pushed or driven’
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600impulser
- Englishearliest quotation 1614impulse
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*pel-root as named
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₁én‘in’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*en‘in’reconstructed
- Proto-Italic, derivedc. 1500–700 BCE*en-‘in, into, in-’reconstructed
- Proto-Italic, derivedc. 1500–700 BCE*pelnō‘to approach’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEpellō‘push, drive’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEimpellō‘push, drive’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEimpulsus‘pushed, driven, assailed, having been pushed or driven’
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600impulser
- Englishearliest quotation 1614impulse
Earliest quotation: 1614, Walter Ralegh [i.e., Walter Raleigh]: “With that force so impulsed and prest they are…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *pel-
film, felt, simple, simply, push, filter, powder, fold, complain, pillow, flaw, pollen, palate, palpable, palladium, palatable, pall, wallow, peloton, polemic, tuple, pollinate, palatal, muffle, apoplexy, peplum, palp, pillion, interpolate, pulver, 63 more
through Proto-Indo-European *h₁én ‘in’
in, internal, entrance, indigenous, intern, endo, dysentery, interregnum, enteral, 31 more
through Proto-Italic *en ‘in’
encounter, intimate, ensemble, intestine, agog, intimation, 7 more
through Proto-Italic *en- ‘in, into, in-’
infirmary, incubation, incense, infirm, incubus, incubate, censer, 6 more
through Proto-Italic *pelnō ‘to approach’
through Latin pellō ‘push, drive’
appeal, repeal, appellate, expel, repel, propel, dispel, compel, compulsory, propulsion, expulsion, pelt, compulsive, rappel, repulse, 15 more
through Latin impellō ‘push, drive’
Today it means
noun A thrust; a push; a sudden force that impels.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *pel- / impulse