lazaretto

The story

1. Italian · derived fromlazzaretti
2. Hebrew · derived fromאֶלְעָזָר
3. Ancient Greek · derived fromΛᾱ́ζᾱρος
4. Medieval Latin · derived fromlazarus“leper”
5. Italian · borrowed fromlazzareto
6. English todaylazaretto

Borrowed from Italian lazzareto (archaic), lazzaretto, lazzeretto, from lazzaro (“leper”) + -etto (diminutive or meliorative suffix). Lazzaro is derived from Medieval Latin lazarus (“leper”), from Lazarus, from Ancient Greek Λᾱ́ζᾱρος (Lā́zāros), from Hebrew אֶלְעָזָר ('el'azár, literally “God has helped”), from אֵל ('él, “God; a deity, god”) + עָזַר ('azár, “to assist, help”). Lazarus is a Biblical character mentioned in the parable of Jesus known as “The rich man and Lazarus” who is described as being a beggar covered in sores: see Luke 16:20–21. Doublet of lazar and lazaret. The plural form lazaretti is borrowed from Italian lazzaretti, lazzeretti.

Words from the same roots

First known use, by meaning

• from mid 16th c. A place reserved for people with infectious diseases (especially leprosy or plague) to live on a long-term basis.
• from early 17th c. A building such as a hospital, or occasionally a ship, used to temporarily isolate sick people to prevent the spread of infectious diseases; a quarantine.
• from early 18th c. A place at the front of the tweendecks of a merchant ship where provisions are stored.