English
plafond
Plafond comes from French plafond ‘ceiling’, from fond ‘back’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *pleth₂- ‘flat’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*pleth₂-‘flat’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*pléth₂us‘flat, broad’reconstructed
- Proto-Hellenicc. 2200–1600 BCE*plətús‘wide, broad’reconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEπλατύςplatús‘wide’
- Vulgar Latinc. 100–700 CE*plattus‘flattened’reconstructed
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400plat‘flat’
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600same form‘flat’
- Frenchc. 1600–presentsame form‘flat’
- French, derivedc. 1600–presentfond‘back’
- French, derivedc. 1600–presentplafond‘ceiling’
- Englishtodaysame form
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*pleth₂-‘flat’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*pléth₂us‘flat, broad’reconstructed
- Proto-Hellenicc. 2200–1600 BCE*plətús‘wide, broad’reconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEπλατύςplatús‘wide’
- Vulgar Latinc. 100–700 CE*plattus‘flattened’reconstructed
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400plat‘flat’
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600same form‘flat’
- Frenchc. 1600–presentsame form‘flat’
- French, derivedc. 1600–presentfond‘back’
- French, derivedc. 1600–presentplafond‘ceiling’
- Englishtodaysame form
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *pleth₂- ‘flat’
flat, lateral, piazza, plantain, flan, 11 more
through Proto-Hellenic *plətús ‘wide, broad’
through Ancient Greek πλατύς ‘wide’
through Vulgar Latin *plattus ‘flattened’
through Old French plat ‘flat’
through French plat ‘flat’
Today it means
noun A ceiling, especially one that is ornately decorated.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *pleth₂- / plafond