English
spatha
Spatha comes from Latin spatha ‘spatula, spattle’, from Ancient Greek σπάθη ‘any broad blade, of wood or metal’, and ultimately from Proto-Hellenic *spátʰā.
- Proto-Hellenicc. 2200–1600 BCE*spátʰā‘blade’reconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEσπάθηspáthē‘any broad blade, of wood or metal’
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEspatha‘spatula, spattle’
- Englishtodaysame form
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Earlier history uncertain.
Lineage
- Proto-Hellenicc. 2200–1600 BCE*spátʰā‘blade’reconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEσπάθηspáthē‘any broad blade, of wood or metal’
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEspatha‘spatula, spattle’
- Englishtodaysame form
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁- ‘to do’
do, fact, deal, hot, fair, defense, fan, benefit, fashion, mid, feature, defence, custom, theme, sufficient, treasury, treasure, ethnic, defendant, feast, ethical, aesthetic, doom, thesis, tick, synthetic, deed, dis, theology, auditorium, auditor, demi, deem, forfeit, feral, ethic, familial, medial, atheist, medallion, 126 more
through Latin spatha ‘spatula, spattle’
Today it means
noun A type of straight sword originating from the first-century Roman Empire. It was worn typically by cavalry officers and is a long version of the left shaped gladius.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Hellenic *spátʰā / spatha