Etymograph

English

plumber

Plumber comes from Latin plumbārius ‘of or pertaining to lead’, and goes back to plumbum.

  1. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEplumbum‘lead or lead shot’
  2. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEplumbārius‘of or pertaining to lead’
  3. Old Frenchc. 842–1400plummier
  4. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500plumber
  5. Englishearliest quotation 1908same form

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Earlier history uncertain.

Lineage

  1. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEplumbum‘lead or lead shot’
  2. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEplumbārius‘of or pertaining to lead’
  3. Old Frenchc. 842–1400plummier
  4. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500plumber
  5. Englishearliest quotation 1908same form

Earliest quotation: 1908, Deetz & Mullen, Pipes Plumbered by Us: “PIPES PLUMBERED BY US stay plumbered till they wear…”

Linked words

through Proto-Celtic *ɸloudom ‘lead’

lead, loth, 13 more

through Ancient Greek μόλυβδος ‘lead’

molybdenum, 16 more

through Latin plumbum ‘lead or lead shot’

plunge, plummet, aplomb, 12 more

Today it means

noun One who works in or with lead.

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

Etymograph / Latin plumbum / plumber

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