English
laboratory
Laboratory comes from Medieval Latin labōrātōrius ‘laborable’, from Late Latin labōrātor ‘worker’, and ultimately from Old Latin labōs.
- Old Latinc. 700–75 BCElabōs
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CElabor‘work’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CElabōrō‘to work’
- Late Latinc. 200–600 CElabōrātor‘worker’
- Medieval Latinc. 600–1500labōrātōrius‘laborable’
- Medieval Latin, derivedc. 600–1500labōrātōriumneuter of labōrātōrius
- Englishearliest quotation 1837laboratory
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Old Latinc. 700–75 BCElabōs
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CElabor‘work’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CElabōrō‘to work’
- Late Latinc. 200–600 CElabōrātor‘worker’
- Medieval Latinc. 600–1500labōrātōrius‘laborable’
- Medieval Latin, derivedc. 600–1500labōrātōriumneuter of labōrātōrius
- Englishearliest quotation 1837laboratory
Earliest quotation: 1837, Letitia Elizabeth Landon, The Laboratory: “Again she read the passage that had riveted her…”
Linked words
through Latin labor ‘work’
labour, collapse, lava, lapse, laborious, labile, 10 more
through Latin labōrō ‘to work’
Today it means
noun A room, building or institution equipped for scientific research, experimentation or analysis.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Old Latin labōs / laboratory