English
inalienable
Inalienable comes from French aliénable, from aliéner ‘to alienate’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₂el- ‘beyond, other’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂el-‘beyond, other’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂élyos‘other, another’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*aljos‘another’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEalius‘other’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEaliēnus‘foreign, alien’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEalienoas aliēnāre‘to make something the property of another, transfer by sale, alienate’
- Frenchc. 1600–presentaliéner‘to alienate’
- French, derivedc. 1600–presentaliénable
- French, derivedc. 1600–presentinaliénable
- Englishearliest quotation 1838inalienable
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂el-‘beyond, other’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂élyos‘other, another’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*aljos‘another’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEalius‘other’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEaliēnus‘foreign, alien’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEalienoas aliēnāre‘to make something the property of another, transfer by sale, alienate’
- Frenchc. 1600–presentaliéner‘to alienate’
- French, derivedc. 1600–presentaliénable
- French, derivedc. 1600–presentinaliénable
- Englishearliest quotation 1838inalienable
Earliest quotation: 1838, Letitia Elizabeth Landon, Keeping up Appearances. […]: “Know thy own worth, and reverence the lyre," is…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *h₂el- ‘beyond, other’
as, all, old, adult, el, ultimate, ultra, element, elder, alter, outrage, altitude, ou, alumni, ellen, qualification, altar, alt, adolescent, alpine, alto, abolish, alias, alum, auld, ulterior, proletariat, alp, retaliate, alimony, exalt, foetal, althea, aad, eld, altimeter, coalesce, withal, 58 more
through Proto-Indo-European *h₂élyos ‘other, another’
through Proto-Italic *aljos ‘another’
alternate, adultery, altercation, altruism, alternation, 18 more
through Latin alius ‘other’
through Latin aliēnus ‘foreign, alien’
through Latin alieno ‘to make something the property of another,…’
Today it means
adj Not subject to being alienated, that is, surrendered, taken away, or transferred to another.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *h₂el- / inalienable