English
instrument
Instrument comes from Latin īnstrūmentum ‘an implement, tool’, from īnstruō ‘build, construct’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *strew- ‘to spread, strew’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*strew-‘to spread, strew’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*stréwetireconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*strowō‘to pile up’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEstruō‘to place one thing on top of another, to pile up, join together’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEīnstruō‘build, construct’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEīnstrūmentum‘an implement, tool’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400instrument
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500same form‘a device used to produce music’
- Englishearliest quotation 1568same form
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*strew-‘to spread, strew’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*stréwetireconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*strowō‘to pile up’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEstruō‘to place one thing on top of another, to pile up, join together’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEīnstruō‘build, construct’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEīnstrūmentum‘an implement, tool’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400instrument
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500same form‘a device used to produce music’
- Englishearliest quotation 1568same form
Earliest quotation: 1568, William Cornishe [i.e., William Cornysh]: “The Harpe. […] A harper with his wreſt maye…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *strew- ‘to spread, strew’
strain, straw, stray, constructive, obstruction, obstruct, perestroika, stripling, misconstrue, 9 more
through Proto-Italic *strowō ‘to pile up’
through Latin struō ‘to place one thing on top of another, to pile…’
construction, structure, destroy, destruction, destructive, construct, construe, 5 more
through Latin īnstruō ‘build, construct’
Today it means
noun A device used to produce music.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *strew- / instrument