lantern

The story

1. Latin · derived fromlucerna“lamp”
2. Ancient Greek · derived fromλαμπτήρ“torch”
3. Latin · derived fromlanterna“lantern”
4. Old French · derived fromlanterne
5. Middle English · inherited fromlanterne
6. English todaylantern

From Middle English lanterne (13th century), via Old French lanterne from Latin lanterna (“lantern”), itself a corruption of Ancient Greek λαμπτήρ (lamptḗr, “torch”) (see lamp, λάμπω (lámpō)) by influence of Latin lucerna (“lamp”). The spelling lanthorn was current during the 16th to 19th centuries and originates with a folk etymology associating the word with the use of horn as translucent cover. For the verb, compare French lanterner to hang at the lamppost. Displaced native Old English lēohtfæt (literally “light-container”).

Words from the same roots