English
perpetual
Perpetual comes from Latin perpetuālis ‘universal’, from petō ‘to ask, beg, request, look for, inquire,…’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *peth₂- ‘to fly’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*peth₂-‘to fly’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*péth₂eti‘to fly’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEpetō‘to ask, beg, request, look for, inquire, petition, entreat’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEperpetuus
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEperpetuālis‘universal’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400perpetuel
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500same form
- Englishearliest quotation 1834perpetual
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*peth₂-‘to fly’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*péth₂eti‘to fly’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEpetō‘to ask, beg, request, look for, inquire, petition, entreat’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEperpetuus
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEperpetuālis‘universal’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400perpetuel
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500same form
- Englishearliest quotation 1834perpetual
Earliest quotation: 1834, Letitia Elizabeth Landon, London: Richard Bentley: “And yet," returned Francesca, "the secret of Arden's sufferings…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *peth₂- ‘to fly’
pass, mile, expansion, expand, patent, pen, helicopter, symptom, feather, spawn, expanse, pennant, patina, pinion, patella, pata, penna, 83 more
through Proto-Indo-European *péth₂eti ‘to fly’
competent, repetition, 15 more
through Latin petō ‘to ask, beg, request, look for, inquire,…’
repeat, compete, petition, competitor, impetus, petulant, impetuous, petulance, 17 more
Today it means
adj Lasting forever, or for an indefinitely long time.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *peth₂- / perpetual