English
négligée
Négligée comes from French négligé ‘underdressed’, from négliger ‘to neglect’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *leǵ- ‘to gather, collect, with derivatives meaning…’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*leǵ-‘to gather, collect, with derivatives meaning to speak by carefully selecting one's words’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*léǵetireconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*legōreconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CElego‘to collect, gather, bring together, catch’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEnegligere
- Frenchc. 1600–presentnégliger‘to neglect’
- French, derivedc. 1600–presentnégligé‘underdressed’past participle of négliger
- French, derivedc. 1600–presentnégligée
- Englishearliest quotation 1777same form
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*leǵ-‘to gather, collect, with derivatives meaning to speak by carefully selecting one's words’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*léǵetireconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*legōreconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CElego‘to collect, gather, bring together, catch’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEnegligere
- Frenchc. 1600–presentnégliger‘to neglect’
- French, derivedc. 1600–presentnégligé‘underdressed’past participle of négliger
- French, derivedc. 1600–presentnégligée
- Englishearliest quotation 1777same form
Earliest quotation: 1777, Frances Burney, Journals & Letters: “[S]he had on a lilac Negligee, Gause Cuffs trimmed…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *leǵ- ‘to gather, collect, with derivatives meaning…’
technology, collect, logic, apology, catalogue, trilogy, sociology, analogy, terminology, physiology, pathology, logos, astrology, monologue, leach, prologue, pathologist, epilogue, archaeologist, logistic, lexicon, eulogy, cosmology, lexical, etymology, epistemology, entomology, gynecologist, homologous, dialectic, etiology, alexia, lexis, apologia, bacteriology, syllogism, bacteriologist, lignite, lignin, 151 more
through Proto-Italic *legō
selection, intelligence, intellectual, intelligent, ineligible, elector, legionella, legionnaire, legionary, 16 more
through Latin lego ‘to collect, gather, bring together, catch’
college, election, collection, lesson, select, legend, legacy, collective, elite, lecture, elect, colleague, elegant, eligible, delegation, collector, legion, coil, delegate, collegiate, negligence, cull, negligible, diligent, negligent, legible, legation, legate, lectern, collegium, lector, ineligibility, 24 more
Today it means
adj Carelessly or unceremoniously dressed.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *leǵ- / négligée