English
rebus
Rebus may come from French rébus ‘rebus (puzzle)’.
- Frenchc. 1600–presentrébus‘rebus (puzzle)’uncertain
- Englishearliest quotation 1655rebus
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Earlier history uncertain.
Lineage
- Frenchc. 1600–presentrébus‘rebus (puzzle)’uncertain
- Englishearliest quotation 1655rebus
Earliest quotation: 1655, Thomas Fuller, Section IV. To John Ferrars, of Tamworth Castle, Esquire.: “He [John Morton] was a learned man, and had…”
The story
The connection between the English word and its Latin etymon is unclear.uncertain The source flags this step as uncertain.
Linked words
through Proto-Italic *reis
reality, realise, realisation, 17 more
through Latin rēs ‘object, stuff, thing’
Today it means
noun An arrangement of pictures, symbols, or words representing phrases or words, especially as a word puzzle.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / French rébus / rebus