English
niche
Niche comes from Old French niche, from Latin nīdus ‘nest’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *sed- ‘sit’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*sed-‘sit’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*nisdós‘nest’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*nizdos‘nest’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEnīdus‘nest’
- Vulgar Latinc. 100–700 CE*nīdicārereconstructed
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400niche
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600niche
- Frenchc. 1600–presentniche
- Englishearliest quotation 1641niche
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*sed-‘sit’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*nisdós‘nest’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*nizdos‘nest’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEnīdus‘nest’
- Vulgar Latinc. 100–700 CE*nīdicārereconstructed
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400niche
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600niche
- Frenchc. 1600–presentniche
- Englishearliest quotation 1641niche
Earliest quotation: 1641, John Evelyn, John Evelyn's Diary: “On the margin of this long tract, are abundance…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *sed- ‘sit’
set, president, size, sell, sit, sitting, seat, method, session, chair, resident, settle, assess, possess, siege, saddle, exodus, reside, subsidy, sedan, residue, residual, sediment, insidious, sedentary, dissident, beset, prasad, cathode, soot, sedative, setter, obsess, anode, sedate, presidio, sate, sessile, presidium, chaise, 92 more
through Proto-Indo-European *nisdós ‘nest’
through Latin nīdus ‘nest’
through Old French niche
Today it means
noun A cavity, hollow, or recess, generally within the thickness of a wall, for a statue, bust, or other erect ornament.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *sed- / niche