English
viol
Viol comes from Old Occitan viola, from Medieval Latin vitula ‘stringed instrument’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *wet- ‘year’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*wet-‘year’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*wetelos‘bull calf, yearling’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEvitulus‘a [male] calf’
- Medieval Latinc. 600–1500vitula‘stringed instrument’
- Old Occitanc. 950–1500viola
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400viol
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600viole
- Englishearliest quotation 1687viol
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*wet-‘year’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*wetelos‘bull calf, yearling’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEvitulus‘a [male] calf’
- Medieval Latinc. 600–1500vitula‘stringed instrument’
- Old Occitanc. 950–1500viola
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400viol
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600viole
- Englishearliest quotation 1687viol
Earliest quotation: 1687, John Aubrey, Remaines of Gentilisme and Judaisme: “He sayd that yᵉ ground opened, and he was…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *wet- ‘year’
veteran, veterinary, veterinarian, wether, inveterate, bacha, 17 more
through Latin vitulus ‘a [male] calf’
Today it means
noun A stringed instrument related to the violin family, but held in the lap between the legs like a cello, usually with C-holes, a flat back, a fretted neck and six strings, played with an underhanded bow hold.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *wet- / viol