lecture
ˈlɛk.tʃər
noun
Origin
Latin
lectus — past participle of legō ‘to read, recite’
Overview
Meaning Now
- a public speech given to an audience
- a formal discussion or study of a subject
- a class in which a lecturer teaches
Language path
Proto-Italic → Latin → Middle English → Modern English
Earliest form
lecture
Earliest period
Early Middle English
Journey
The word entered English from Middle English, itself borrowed from Latin lectūra ‘reading, lesson’, past participle of lectus, from legō ‘to read’.
Evolution
- Early Middle English
lecture
“a reading or lecture”
derived from Latin lectūra
- Late Middle English
lecture
“public discourse”
- Early Modern English
lecture
“formal academic talk”
Connections
Word parts
lecture
root
lecture (noun)
Related across languages
French
reading, lesson
Explore next
Related to lecture
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.