Latin
/ˈlætɪn/
noun
Origin
Latin
Latium — region of Italy inhabited by the Latins
Overview
Meaning Now
- The Indo-European language of the ancient Romans and the Latium region.
- A member of any of the peoples whose languages derive from Latin (the Romance languages).
Literal older meaning
of or belonging to Latium
Language path
Proto-Indo-European → Italic → Latin
Earliest form
Latius
Earliest period
8th century BCE
Journey
Latin originated as a dialect in the region of Latium. As the Roman Republic expanded, it became the lingua franca of Western Europe. Following the fall of the Western Roman Empire, it evolved into the modern Romance languages while persisting as a liturgical and scientific language.
Evolution
- Proto-Italic
*stlātinos
“belonging to the flat plain”
Hypothetical construction linked to the root for 'flat' or 'spread out'.
- Old Latin
Latium
“plain, flat land”
Referencing the flat plains of the region surrounding Rome.
- Classical Latin
Latīnus
“of or relating to Latium”
Became the demonym for the people of the region.
- Middle English
Latyn
“the Latin language”
Adopted via Old French.
Connections
Word parts
Lat-
root
Latium region
-in
suffix
pertaining to
-us
ending
masculine singular nominative
Related across languages
Oscan
Latlan
Latin (related Italic tribe)
Related words
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Related to Latin
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.