Etymograph

English

peculium

Peculium comes from Latin peculium ‘private property’, from pecū ‘cattle’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *peḱ- ‘livestock’.

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*peḱ-‘livestock’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*péḱu‘livestock’reconstructed
  3. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*peku‘cattle’reconstructed
  4. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEpecū‘cattle’
  5. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CE*pecūlisreconstructed
  6. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEpeculium‘private property’
  7. Englishearliest quotation 1815same form

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*peḱ-‘livestock’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*péḱu‘livestock’reconstructed
  3. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*peku‘cattle’reconstructed
  4. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEpecū‘cattle’
  5. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CE*pecūlisreconstructed
  6. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEpeculium‘private property’
  7. Englishearliest quotation 1815same form

Earliest quotation: 1815, Walter Scott, Guy Mannering; or: “Still, however, he gained something, and it was the…”

Linked words

through Proto-Indo-European *peḱ- ‘livestock’

fight, fellow, fax, feudal, fawn, fain, 25 more

through Proto-Indo-European *péḱu ‘livestock’

fee, feud, cynical, hound, poodle, cynic, feu, chenille, 12 more

through Latin pecū ‘cattle’

pec, pecuniary, pecorino, 6 more

Today it means

noun The savings of a son or a slave, with the father's or master's consent; a little property or stock of one's own.

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

Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *peḱ- / peculium

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