English
lucerne
Lucerne comes from Occitan luzerno, and goes back to Proto-Indo-European *lewk- ‘bright’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*lewk-‘bright’root as named · steps between not traced
- Occitanc. 1500–presentluzerno
- Frenchc. 1600–presentluzerne
- Englishearliest quotation 1841lucerne
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*lewk-‘bright’root as named · steps between not traced
- Occitanc. 1500–presentluzerno
- Frenchc. 1600–presentluzerne
- Englishearliest quotation 1841lucerne
Earliest quotation: 1841, Jesse Buel, The Farmers' Instructor: “I have mixed lucerne, partially cured, in alternate strata…”
The story
Borrowed from French luzerne, from Occitan luzerno, of uncertain origin.uncertain The source flags this step as uncertain.
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *lewk- ‘bright’
light, low, link, los, lea, ounce, lucy, lunar, luna, illumination, illuminate, lynx, luminous, lux, lumen, lucid, translucent, luminosity, lumia, loach, lum, luminary, leucine, luminal, luminescent, lune, lucent, 74 more
Today it means
noun Alfalfa.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *lewk- / lucerne