Etymograph

English

simile

Simile comes from Latin simile ‘comparison, likeness, parallel’, from similis ‘like, similar, resembling’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *sem- ‘together, one’.

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*sem-‘together, one’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*sem-h₂-lo-reconstructed
  3. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*semalis‘similiar’reconstructed
  4. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEsimilis‘like, similar, resembling’
  5. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEsimile‘comparison, likeness, parallel’neuter form of similis
  6. Englishearliest quotation 1826same form

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*sem-‘together, one’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*sem-h₂-lo-reconstructed
  3. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*semalis‘similiar’reconstructed
  4. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEsimilis‘like, similar, resembling’
  5. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEsimile‘comparison, likeness, parallel’neuter form of similis
  6. Englishearliest quotation 1826same form

Earliest quotation: 1826, Thomas Bayly Howell: “He made a simile of George the third to…”

first attested From Latin simile (“comparison, likeness, parallel”) (first attested 1393), originally from simile, neuter form of similis (“like, similar, resembling”) (as stated in the etymology)

The story

From Latin simile (‘comparison, likeness, parallel’) (first attested 1393), originally from simile, neuter form of similis (‘like, similar, resembling’).

Linked words

through Proto-Indo-European *sem- ‘together, one’

some, same, seem, single, soft, sam, simply, simple, sincerely, resemblance, singular, resemble, anomaly, simultaneous, sincerity, anomalous, homeopathic, synapse, homology, hyphen, insincere, assimilate, sempre, synchronise, homolog, 47 more

through Latin similis ‘like, similar, resembling’

simulation, assemble, semblance, simulate, assemblage, simulacrum, 21 more

Today it means

noun A figure of speech in which one thing is explicitly compared to another, using e.g. like or as.

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

Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *sem- / simile

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