English
vellicate
Vellicate comes from Latin vellicō ‘to twitch’, from vellō ‘to pull or tear down’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *welh₃- ‘to hit, to strike’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*welh₃-‘to hit, to strike’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*wl̥néh₃tireconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*welnō‘to pull, tear’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEvellō‘to pull or tear down’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEvellicōas vellicare, past participle‘to twitch’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEvellicatus
- Englishearliest quotation 1688vellicate
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*welh₃-‘to hit, to strike’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*wl̥néh₃tireconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*welnō‘to pull, tear’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEvellō‘to pull or tear down’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEvellicōas vellicare, past participle‘to twitch’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEvellicatus
- Englishearliest quotation 1688vellicate
Earliest quotation: 1688, John Norris: “Sir, I Have received yours, and reading the Confirmation…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *welh₃- ‘to hit, to strike’
vulnerable, invulnerability, 20 more
through Latin vellō ‘to pull or tear down’
Today it means
verb To touch (a body part) lightly so as to excite the surface nerves and cause uneasiness, laughter, or spasmodic movements.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *welh₃- / vellicate