Etymograph

English

pecorino

Pecorino comes from Italian pecorino ‘sheep’, from Latin pecus ‘cattle’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *peḱu- ‘livestock, domestic animals’.

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*peḱu-‘livestock, domestic animals’reconstructed
  2. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEpecū‘cattle’
  3. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEpecus‘cattle’
  4. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEpecoraneuter plural of pecus
  5. Italianc. 1300–presentsame form‘sheep’
  6. Italian, derivedc. 1300–presentpecorino‘sheep’
  7. Englishearliest quotation 2022same form

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*peḱu-‘livestock, domestic animals’reconstructed
  2. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEpecū‘cattle’
  3. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEpecus‘cattle’
  4. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEpecoraneuter plural of pecus
  5. Italianc. 1300–presentsame form‘sheep’
  6. Italian, derivedc. 1300–presentpecorino‘sheep’
  7. Englishearliest quotation 2022same form

Earliest quotation: 2022, Maddie Mortimer, Maps of Our Spectacular Bodies: “Later that evening the two of them sat together…”

Linked words

through Latin pecū ‘cattle’

pecuniary, pec, 7 more

through Latin pecus ‘cattle’

peculiar, 1 more

Today it means

noun Any of a family of Italian hard cheeses made from ewe's milk.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *peḱu- / pecorino

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