English
temerity
Temerity comes from Latin temeritās ‘chance, accident, rashness’, from Proto-Italic *temezi ‘in darkness, blindly’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *temH- ‘dark’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*temH-‘dark’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*témHos‘darkness’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*temezi‘in darkness, blindly’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEtemere‘by chance, casually, rashly’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEtemeritās‘chance, accident, rashness’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400temerité
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500temerite
- Englishearliest quotation 1769temerity
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*temH-‘dark’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*témHos‘darkness’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*temezi‘in darkness, blindly’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEtemere‘by chance, casually, rashly’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEtemeritās‘chance, accident, rashness’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400temerité
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500temerite
- Englishearliest quotation 1769temerity
Earliest quotation: 1769, Firishta, Tales translated from the Persian of Inatulla of Delhi: “Jewan Sadit, who ſtood before the prince, obſerving his…”
Equivalent to temerarious + -ity
Proto-Indo-European *temH- ‘dark’
Proto-Indo-European *témHos ‘darkness’
Proto-Italic *temezi ‘in darkness, blindly’
Latin temerē ‘by chance, at random, rashly’
Latin temerārius ‘accidental, casual, rash, reckless’
English temerarious
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *temH- ‘dark’
through Proto-Indo-European *témHos ‘darkness’
Today it means
noun Reckless boldness; foolish bravery.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *temH- / temerity