English
libretto
Libretto comes from Italian libretto ‘booklet’, from libro ‘book’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *lewbʰ- ‘to peel, cut off, harm’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*lewbʰ-‘to peel, cut off, harm’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*lubʰrósreconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*luβros‘bark’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEliber‘book’
- Italianc. 1300–presentlibro‘book’
- Italian, derivedc. 1300–presentlibretto‘booklet’diminutive of libro
- Englishearliest quotation 2002same form
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Earlier history uncertain.
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*lewbʰ-‘to peel, cut off, harm’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*lubʰrósreconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*luβros‘bark’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEliber‘book’
- Italianc. 1300–presentlibro‘book’
- Italian, derivedc. 1300–presentlibretto‘booklet’diminutive of libro
- Englishearliest quotation 2002same form
Earliest quotation: 2002, Richard Traubner, Mozart's Singspiel: “From Mozart's letters we know that the composer decided…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *lew- ‘to cut off’
pollution, lied, lute, 12 more
through Proto-Indo-European *lewbʰ- ‘to peel, cut off, harm’
love, left, leave, believe, belief, leaf, lodge, lobby, loft, lib, lob, libido, luft, lief, 17 more
through Latin liber ‘book’
format, library, liberal, liberty, libel, liberate, liber, 13 more
Today it means
noun The text of a dramatic musical work, such as an opera.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *lewbʰ- / libretto