English
leprosarium
Leprosarium comes from Medieval Latin leprōsus ‘leprous’, from Koine Greek λέπρα ‘psoriasis & similar skin diseases’, and ultimately from Ancient Greek λεπίς ‘scale’.
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEλεπίς‘scale’
- Koine Greekc. 300 BCE–600 CEλέπρα‘psoriasis & similar skin diseases’
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CElepra‘leprosy’
- Medieval Latinc. 600–1500leprōsus‘leprous’
- Medieval Latin, derivedc. 600–1500leprōsārium
- Englishearliest quotation 1971leprosarium
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Earlier history uncertain.
Lineage
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEλεπίς‘scale’
- Koine Greekc. 300 BCE–600 CEλέπρα‘psoriasis & similar skin diseases’
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CElepra‘leprosy’
- Medieval Latinc. 600–1500leprōsus‘leprous’
- Medieval Latin, derivedc. 600–1500leprōsārium
- Englishearliest quotation 1971leprosarium
Earliest quotation: 1971, José Barchilon: “In the middle of the twelfth century, France had…”
Linked words
through Ancient Greek λέπω ‘to peel’
through Koine Greek λέπρα ‘psoriasis & similar skin diseases’
Today it means
noun An isolated building or community used to house lepers, usually in permanent quarantine from the rest of society.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Ancient Greek λεπίς / leprosarium