English
libre
Libre comes from French libre ‘at liberty”’, from Latin līber ‘free, unrestricted’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₁lewdʰ- ‘people’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₁lewdʰ-‘people’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₁léwdʰerosreconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*louðerosreconstructed
- Old Latinc. 700–75 BCEloeber
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CElīber‘free, unrestricted’
- Frenchc. 1600–presentlibre‘at liberty”’
- Englishearliest quotation 1599same form
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₁lewdʰ-‘people’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₁léwdʰerosreconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*louðerosreconstructed
- Old Latinc. 700–75 BCEloeber
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CElīber‘free, unrestricted’
- Frenchc. 1600–presentlibre‘at liberty”’
- Englishearliest quotation 1599same form
Earliest quotation: 1599, Alexander Hume, Of Gods Benefites Bestowed vpon Man: “He [God] Adame lent a libre will to follow…”
The story
The obsolete “unconstrained” sense is borrowed from French libre (“at liberty”; “free” as in “clear”, “vacant”, “without obligation”), from Latin līber (‘free, unrestricted’), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₁lewdʰ- (‘people’), whence obsolete English lede (‘person(s)’), English leud, and German Leute. The software and the unenslaved senses are either borrowed from the above French, or from its Spanish cognate libre, of the same meaning and Latin etymon.
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *h₁lewdʰ- ‘people’
through Old Latin loeber
liberalism, libertine, illiberal, libero, 2 more
through Latin līber ‘free, unrestricted’
format, liberal, library, liberty, liberate, libel, liberator, liber, 12 more
Today it means
adj Especially of the will: free, independent, unconstrained.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *h₁lewdʰ- / libre