English
numerous
Numerous comes from Middle English numerous, from Latin numerōsus ‘numerous, abundant’, from numerus ‘number’, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *nem- ‘to distribute’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*nem-‘to distribute’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*nomezosreconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEnumerus‘number’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEnumerōsus‘numerous, abundant’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500numerous
- Englishearliest quotation 1911same form
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*nem-‘to distribute’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*nomezosreconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEnumerus‘number’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEnumerōsus‘numerous, abundant’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500numerous
- Englishearliest quotation 1911same form
Earliest quotation: 1911, James George Frazer, The Golden Bough: “A numerous band of men and maidens escorts him…”
Formed from numero- + -ous
Proto-Indo-European *nem- ‘to assign, allot’
Proto-Italic *nomezos
Latin numerus ‘number’
English numero-
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *nem- ‘to assign, allot’
nomadic, nomad, numb, nim, nome, naam, luma, enumeration, numismatics, enumerate, 30 more
through Latin numerus ‘number’
Today it means
det An indefinite large number of.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *nem- / numerous