English
mural
Mural comes from Latin muralis ‘wall’, and goes back to Proto-Indo-European *mey- ‘to fix, to build fortifications or fences’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*mey-‘to fix, to build fortifications or fences’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*moyrosreconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*moiros‘wall’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEmurus‘wall’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEmuralis‘wall’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400mural
- Frenchc. 1600–presentmural
- Englishearliest quotation 1667mural
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*mey-‘to fix, to build fortifications or fences’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*moyrosreconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*moiros‘wall’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEmurus‘wall’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEmuralis‘wall’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400mural
- Frenchc. 1600–presentmural
- Englishearliest quotation 1667mural
Earliest quotation: 1667, John Milton, Book VI: “Disburd’nd Heav’n rejoic’d, and soon repaird / Her mural…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *mey- ‘to fix, to build fortifications or fences’
mean, common, community, met, minister, minute, commission, ministry, minor, mess, communication, min, commit, menu, compromise, missile, meal, mere, communist, communicate, minus, immune, dismiss, premise, mutual, ammunition, immunity, mole, communism, ammo, mayhem, noodle, communion, intermittent, municipality, moor, communal, mite, omit, commune, 79 more
Today it means
noun A large painting, usually drawn on a wall.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *mey- / mural