English
labia
Labia comes from Latin labia ‘lips’, from labium ‘lip’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *leb- ‘to hang loosely’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*leb-‘to hang loosely’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*l̥b-yómreconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*labjomreconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CElabium‘lip’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CElabia‘lips’plural of labium
- Englishearliest quotation 2023same form
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*leb-‘to hang loosely’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*l̥b-yómreconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*labjomreconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CElabium‘lip’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CElabia‘lips’plural of labium
- Englishearliest quotation 2023same form
Earliest quotation: 2023, Yomi Adegoke, The List: “She wiped the warm wax on the left side…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *leb- ‘to hang loosely’
lip, label, lap, limp, limbo, lobe, lave, labrum, 14 more
through Latin labium ‘lip’
Today it means
noun The folds of tissue of the vulva, at either side of the vulval vestibule.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *leb- / labia