English
lesson
Lesson comes from Middle English lessoun ‘a written text for recitation or memorisation’, from Old French leçon ‘reading’, 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 read’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CElēctiō‘a reading’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400leçon‘reading’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500lessoun‘a written text for recitation or memorisation’
- Englishearliest quotation a. 1587lesson
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 read’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CElēctiō‘a reading’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400leçon‘reading’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500lessoun‘a written text for recitation or memorisation’
- Englishearliest quotation a. 1587lesson
Earliest quotation: a. 1587, Philippe Sidnei [i.e., (please specify the folio): “She would give her a lesson for walking so…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *leǵ- ‘to gather’
technology, logic, collect, apology, catalogue, trilogy, analogy, terminology, physiology, sociology, pathology, logos, astrology, prologue, pathologist, epilogue, archaeologist, logistic, monologue, eulogy, leach, cosmology, etymology, epistemology, entomology, gynecologist, homologous, lexical, lexicon, etiology, dialectical, dialectic, lignite, lignin, apologia, bacteriology, alexia, lexis, syllogism, bacteriologist, 151 more
through Proto-Italic *legō
intelligence, intelligent, selection, intellectual, ineligible, elector, legionella, legionnaire, legionary, 17 more
through Latin legō ‘to read’
college, election, collection, elite, select, legend, legacy, collective, eligible, lecture, colleague, elect, elegant, coil, collector, negligence, delegation, delegate, legion, negligent, collegiate, diligent, negligible, cull, legible, legate, lectern, legation, collegium, ineligibility, lector, 25 more
Today it means
verb To instruct to teach.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *leǵ- / lesson