English
merde
Merde comes from French merde ‘shit’, and goes back to Proto-Indo-European *(s)merd-h₂- ‘stench’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*(s)merd-h₂-‘stench’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*(s)merdāreconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEmerda‘dung, excrement, shit’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400merde‘shit (feces)’
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600same form‘shit (feces)’
- Frenchc. 1600–presentsame form‘shit’
- Englishtodaysame form
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*(s)merd-h₂-‘stench’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*(s)merdāreconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEmerda‘dung, excrement, shit’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400merde‘shit (feces)’
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600same form‘shit (feces)’
- Frenchc. 1600–presentsame form‘shit’
- Englishtodaysame form
Every English word from Proto-Indo-European *(s)merd-h₂-
Today it means
noun Shit.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *(s)merd-h₂- / merde