English
relic
Relic comes from Latin reliquiae ‘remains, relics’, from relinquō ‘to leave behind, abandon, relinquish’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *leykʷ-.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*leykʷ-‘to leave’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*linékʷti ~ *linkʷénti‘to be leaving’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*linkʷō‘to leave’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CElinquō‘to leave, quit, forsake, depart from’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CErelinquō‘to leave behind, abandon, relinquish’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEreliquiae‘remains, relics’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400relique
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500relik
- Englishearliest quotation c. 1604–1605relic
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*leykʷ-‘to leave’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*linékʷti ~ *linkʷénti‘to be leaving’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*linkʷō‘to leave’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CElinquō‘to leave, quit, forsake, depart from’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CErelinquō‘to leave behind, abandon, relinquish’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEreliquiae‘remains, relics’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400relique
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500relik
- Englishearliest quotation c. 1604–1605relic
Earliest quotation: c. 1604–1605, William Shakespeare, All’s Well, that Ends Well: “[…] let him not ask our pardon; The nature…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *leykʷ- ‘to leave’
loan, lend, delinquent, elliptical, delinquency, elliptic, ellipse, ecliptic, ellipsis, 10 more
through Latin linquō ‘to leave, quit, forsake, depart from’
through Latin relinquō ‘to leave behind, abandon, relinquish’
Today it means
noun That which remains; that which is left after loss or decay; a remaining portion.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *leykʷ- / relic