English
lucifer match
Lucifer match comes from Latin lucifer ‘bringer of light’, from Proto-Indo-European *léwks ‘something bright, white’, and ultimately from *lewk-.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*lewk-‘bright’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*léwks‘something bright, white’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*louks‘light’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CElūx‘light’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CElucifer‘bringer of light’
- Englishearliest quotation 1865lucifer match
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*lewk-‘bright’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*léwks‘something bright, white’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*louks‘light’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CElūx‘light’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CElucifer‘bringer of light’
- Englishearliest quotation 1865lucifer match
Earliest quotation: 1865, The Domestic Service Guide...: “The invention of the Lucifer Match has brought with…”
The story
From Latin lucifer (‘bringer of light’), originally a brand name for Isaac Holden's match formulation as marketed by Samuel Jones from 1829 or 1830 but soon transferred to the era's friction matches generally.
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *lewk- ‘bright’
light, low, link, los, ounce, lunar, lea, luna, illumination, luminous, illuminate, lynx, translucent, lumen, lucid, luminosity, lumia, lum, lucerne, lune, luminescent, lucent, luminary, leucine, luminal, 73 more
through Proto-Indo-European *léwks ‘something bright, white’
through Latin lūx ‘light’
Today it means
noun A sulfur friction match whose head is treated with equal parts antimony trisulfide and potassium chlorate.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *lewk- / lucifer match