English
papal
Papal comes from Old French papal, and goes back to Proto-Indo-European *peh₂- ‘to protect, to ward’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*peh₂-‘to protect, to ward’root as named · steps between not traced
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400papal
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500same form
- Englishearliest quotation 2025same form
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*peh₂-‘to protect, to ward’root as named · steps between not traced
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400papal
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500same form
- Englishearliest quotation 2025same form
Earliest quotation: 2025, Peter Stanford, Pope Francis obituary: “In both the 2005 and 2013 papal elections there…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *peh₂- ‘to protect, to ward’
food, company, father, feed, pain, pope, foster, pattern, fur, companion, apparent, pastor, penetration, patriot, patron, fodder, perpetrator, fad, forage, pasture, accompaniment, paternity, ayr, paternal, padre, perpetrate, patrician, panini, père, patrimony, pater, compere, pav, pannier, pantaloons, 60 more
Today it means
adj Having to do with the pope or the papacy.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *peh₂- / papal