English
vitellus
Vitellus comes from Latin vitellus ‘the yolk of an egg’, from vitulus ‘a bull calf’, 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 bull calf’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEvitellus‘the yolk of an egg’
- Englishearliest quotation 1861same form
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
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 bull calf’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEvitellus‘the yolk of an egg’
- Englishearliest quotation 1861same form
Earliest quotation: 1861, F. Rymer Jones, The General Structure of the Animal Kingdom: “In the sarcodo there takes place a process which…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *wet- ‘year’
veteran, veterinary, veterinarian, wether, inveterate, bacha, 16 more
through Latin vitulus ‘a bull calf’
through Latin vitellus ‘the yolk of an egg’
Today it means
noun The contents or substance of the ovum; egg yolk.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *wet- / vitellus