English
lanugo
Lanugo comes from Latin lānūgō ‘woolly substance, the down of plants, of…’, from lāna ‘wool’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₂welh₁-.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂welh₁-reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂wĺ̥h₁neh₂‘wool’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*wlānareconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CElāna‘wool’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CElānūgō‘woolly substance, the down of plants, of youthful cheeks, etc’
- Englishearliest quotation 1874lanugo
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂welh₁-reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂wĺ̥h₁neh₂‘wool’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*wlānareconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CElāna‘wool’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CElānūgō‘woolly substance, the down of plants, of youthful cheeks, etc’
- Englishearliest quotation 1874lanugo
Earliest quotation: 1874, Charles Darwin, Chaper XX: “From the presence of the woolly hair or lanugo…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *h₂welh₁-
value, wild, equivalent, valid, velvet, valuation, vale, avail, wield, fluff, valiant, vail, valour, cuckold, woolen, velour, valorous, lanolin, 42 more
through Proto-Indo-European *h₂wĺ̥h₁neh₂ ‘wool’
Today it means
noun Soft down or fine hair, specifically that covering the human foetus or a tumorous area.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *h₂welh₁- / lanugo