English
solution
Solution comes from Old French solucion, from Latin solūtiō ‘a loosening’, from solvō ‘to loosen; to solve’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *lewh₁- ‘to release’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*lewh₁-‘to cut off’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*luh₁étireconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEluō‘to let go’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEsolvō‘loosen’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEsolūtiōas solutionem‘the act of loosening or unfastening someone or something’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400solucion‘payment of a debt’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500solucioun‘the answer to or explanation for a problem’
- Englishearliest quotation 1681solution
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*lewh₁-‘to cut off’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*luh₁étireconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEluō‘to let go’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEsolvō‘loosen’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEsolūtiōas solutionem‘the act of loosening or unfastening someone or something’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400solucion‘payment of a debt’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500solucioun‘the answer to or explanation for a problem’
- Englishearliest quotation 1681solution
Earliest quotation: 1681, Scotland. Court of Session, The decisions of the Court of Session: “he was not obliged to repeat what he had…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *lewh₁- ‘to cut off, release’
lose, analysis, lease, analyst, paralysis, dialysis, palsy, paralyze, lysis, insoluble, paralytic, loess, 28 more
through Latin luō ‘to let go, set free’
through Latin solvō ‘loosen’
Today it means
noun A homogeneous mixture, which may be liquid, gas or solid, formed by dissolving one or more substances.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *lewh₁- / solution