Etymograph

English

lustring

Lustring comes from French lustrine ‘lutestring’, from Latin lustrō ‘to purify by means of a propitiatory sacrifice’, and ultimately from Old Latin *loustrom.

  1. Old Latinc. 700–75 BCE*loustromreconstructedearlier origin unknown
  2. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CElūstrum‘a purificatory sacrifice’
  3. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CElustrōas lustrare‘to purify by means of a propitiatory sacrifice’
  4. Frenchc. 1600–presentlustrine‘lutestring’
  5. Englishearliest quotation 1748lustring

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. Old Latinc. 700–75 BCE*loustromreconstructedearlier origin unknown
  2. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CElūstrum‘a purificatory sacrifice’
  3. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CElustrōas lustrare‘to purify by means of a propitiatory sacrifice’
  4. Frenchc. 1600–presentlustrine‘lutestring’
  5. Englishearliest quotation 1748lustring

Earliest quotation: 1748, Samuel Richardson, Letter CCXCIII: “[S]he would give her a brown lustring gown, which…”

Linked words

through Latin lustrō ‘to purify by means of a propitiatory sacrifice’

illustration, illustrious, luster, 3 more

Today it means

noun A glossy silk fabric; lutestring.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / Old Latin *loustrom / lustring

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