English
vermicule
Vermicule comes from Latin vermiculus ‘the scarlet worm for coccum’, and goes back to Proto-Indo-European *wr̥mis.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*wr̥mis‘worm’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*wormis‘worm’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEvermis‘a worm’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEvermiculus‘the scarlet worm for coccum’diminutive of vermis
- Englishearliest quotation 1713vermicule
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Earlier history uncertain.
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*wr̥mis‘worm’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*wormis‘worm’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEvermis‘a worm’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEvermiculus‘the scarlet worm for coccum’diminutive of vermis
- Englishearliest quotation 1713vermicule
Earliest quotation: 1713, William Derham, Physico-Theology: Or: “hence I apprehend we see many Vermicules towards the…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *wer- ‘to turn, to bend’
wear, guard, ward, regard, con, garage, warn, beware, garrison, ware, weir, optic, panorama, verge, reverence, wry, revere, guaranty, diorama, prosaic, milliner, 70 more
through Proto-Indo-European *wr̥mis ‘worm’
through Latin vermis ‘a worm’
through Latin vermiculus ‘the scarlet worm for coccum’
Today it means
noun A small worm or worm-like organism.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *wr̥mis / vermicule