English
scaffold
Scaffold comes from Vulgar Latin *catafalcum ‘viewing stage’.
- Vulgar Latinc. 100–700 CE*catafalcum‘viewing stage’reconstructed
- Anglo-Normanc. 1066–1400schaffaut
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500scaffold
- Englishearliest quotation 1788same form
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Vulgar Latinc. 100–700 CE*catafalcum‘viewing stage’reconstructed
- Anglo-Normanc. 1066–1400schaffaut
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500scaffold
- Englishearliest quotation 1788same form
Earliest quotation: 1788, Richard Brinsley Sheridan, Esq.: “The Begums' ministers, on the contrary, to extort from…”
Every English word from Vulgar Latin *catafalcum
Today it means
noun A structure made of scaffolding for workers to stand on while working on a building.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Vulgar Latin *catafalcum / scaffold