English
legionnaire
Legionnaire comes from French légionnaire ‘legionary’, from Latin legō ‘to choose’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *leǵ- ‘to gather’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*leǵ-‘to gather’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*léǵetireconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*legōreconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CElegō‘to choose’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CElegiōas legiōnem‘a legion’
- Frenchc. 1600–presentlégion
- French, derivedc. 1600–presentlégionnaire‘legionary’
- Englishtodaylegionnaire
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*leǵ-‘to gather’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*léǵetireconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*legōreconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CElegō‘to choose’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CElegiōas legiōnem‘a legion’
- Frenchc. 1600–presentlégion
- French, derivedc. 1600–presentlégionnaire‘legionary’
- Englishtodaylegionnaire
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *leǵ- ‘to gather’
technology, collect, logic, apology, catalogue, trilogy, terminology, sociology, pathology, analogy, logos, physiology, astrology, prologue, monologue, epilogue, leach, pathologist, eulogy, archaeologist, cosmology, logistic, etymology, epistemology, lexical, entomology, lexicon, homologous, gynecologist, dialectic, etiology, lignite, lignin, alexia, lexis, bacteriology, apologia, syllogism, bacteriologist, 154 more
through Proto-Italic *legō
intelligence, intelligent, selection, intellectual, ineligible, elector, 19 more
through Latin legō ‘to choose’
college, election, collection, elite, select, collective, lesson, legend, legacy, eligible, elect, colleague, lecture, collector, coil, elegant, negligence, delegate, delegation, diligent, negligent, collegiate, negligible, cull, legible, lectern, legate, legation, lector, ineligibility, collegium, 24 more
through Latin legiō ‘a legion’
Today it means
noun A person who is neither a citizen nor colonial/imperial subject of the state whose military they join.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *leǵ- / legionnaire