English
strait
Strait comes from Old French estreit, from Latin strictus ‘tightened, compressed, having been tightened’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *strengʰ- ‘to twist’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*strengʰ-‘to twist’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*stréngʰetireconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*strengōreconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEstringō‘compress, tighten’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEstrictus‘tightened, compressed, having been tightened’perfect passive participle of stringō
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400estreit
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500streit
- Englishearliest quotation 1577strait
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*strengʰ-‘to twist’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*stréngʰetireconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*strengōreconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEstringō‘compress, tighten’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEstrictus‘tightened, compressed, having been tightened’perfect passive participle of stringō
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400estreit
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500streit
- Englishearliest quotation 1577strait
Earliest quotation: 1577, Raphael Holinshed, Holinshed’s Chronicles: “After Bardus, the Celtes […] were in short tyme,…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *strengʰ- ‘to twist’
strong, strength, string, 39 more
through Proto-Italic *strengō
through Latin stringō ‘compress, tighten’
district, stress, prestige, restriction, restrict, constraint, restrain, constriction, constrain, constrictor, constrict, stricture, 33 more
through Latin strictus ‘tightened, compressed, having been tightened’
Today it means
adj Narrow; restricted as to space or room; close.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *strengʰ- / strait