English
incognito
Incognito comes from Italian incognito ‘unknown’, from Latin cognitus ‘known’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *ǵneh₃- ‘to recognise’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*ǵneh₃-‘to recognise’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*ǵn̥h₃sḱéti‘to recognise’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*gnōskō‘to know, get to know’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEgnōscō‘to know’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEcognōscō‘know, recognise’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEcognitus‘known’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEincognitus‘unknown’
- Italianc. 1300–presentincognito‘unknown’
- Englishearliest quotation 1703same form
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*ǵneh₃-‘to recognise’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*ǵn̥h₃sḱéti‘to recognise’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*gnōskō‘to know, get to know’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEgnōscō‘to know’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEcognōscō‘know, recognise’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEcognitus‘known’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEincognitus‘unknown’
- Italianc. 1300–presentincognito‘unknown’
- Englishearliest quotation 1703same form
Earliest quotation: 1703, Matthew Prior, The Ladle: “THE Scepticks think 'twas long ago, / Since Gods…”
The story
Borrowed from Italian incognito, from Latin incognitus (‘unknown’), from in- (‘not’) + cognitus (‘known’), perfect passive participle of cognoscere.
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *ǵneh₃- ‘to recognise’
can, know, could, normal, narrative, glory, ignore, ken, keen, con, norm, ignorant, recognition, narration, cunning, prognosis, canny, connoisseur, canna, uncouth, kith, gnosis, cun, recognizance, 83 more
through Proto-Indo-European *ǵn̥h₃sḱéti ‘to recognise’
diagnostic, gnome, agnostic, 39 more
through Proto-Italic *gnōskō ‘to know, get to know’
denote, annotation, noblesse, ignoble, 33 more
through Latin gnōscō ‘to know’
note, notice, noble, notion, notorious, notation, nobility, notary, notoriety, annotate, 33 more
through Latin cognōscō ‘know, recognise’
recognize, acquaint, cognizance, precognition, 13 more
through Latin cognitus ‘known’
Today it means
adj Without being known; in an assumed character, or under an assumed title; in disguise.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *ǵneh₃- / incognito