English
infirmary
Infirmary comes from Medieval Latin infirmaria ‘hospital’, from Latin infirmus ‘unhealthy, infirm, indisposed, sick’, and ultimately from Proto-Italic *en- ‘in, into, in-’.
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*en-‘in, into, in-’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEfirmus‘strong, firm’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEinfirmus‘unhealthy, infirm, indisposed, sick’
- Medieval Latinc. 600–1500infirmaria‘hospital’
- Englishearliest quotation 2015infirmary
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*en-‘in, into, in-’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEfirmus‘strong, firm’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEinfirmus‘unhealthy, infirm, indisposed, sick’
- Medieval Latinc. 600–1500infirmaria‘hospital’
- Englishearliest quotation 2015infirmary
Earliest quotation: 2015, Minister for Home Affairs, Regulation 7: “There shall be provided an infirmary or a place…”
Linked words
through Proto-Italic *en- ‘in, into, in-’
impulse, incense, incubation, impel, incubus, incubate, censer, 7 more
through Latin firmus ‘strong, firm’
Today it means
noun A place where sick or injured people are cared for, especially a small hospital; sickhouse.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Italic *en- / infirmary