English
module
Module comes from Latin modulus ‘a small measure, a measure, mode, meter’, and goes back to Proto-Indo-European *med-.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*med-‘to measure’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*mod-ós‘measure’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*modosreconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEmodus‘measure’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEmodulus‘a small measure, a measure, mode, meter’diminutive of modus
- Frenchc. 1600–presentmodule
- Englishearliest quotation 1974same form
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*med-‘to measure’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*mod-ós‘measure’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*modosreconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEmodus‘measure’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEmodulus‘a small measure, a measure, mode, meter’diminutive of modus
- Frenchc. 1600–presentmodule
- Englishearliest quotation 1974same form
Earliest quotation: 1974, Thomas W. Hungerford, Algebra: “Modules over a ring are a generalization of abelian…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *med- ‘to measure’
must, medical, medicine, medication, meditation, med, moderate, remedy, modest, medicinal, blackmail, medic, meditate, moderator, mete, mote, commode, 27 more
through Proto-Italic *modos
through Latin modus ‘measure’
modern, mud, mode, mood, commodity, modification, molding, modal, modicum, modus, modifiable, moulder, 19 more
through Latin modulus ‘a small measure, a measure, mode, meter’
Today it means
noun A self-contained component of a system, often interchangeable, which has a well-defined interface to the other components.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *med- / module