lotus

The story

1. Ancient Greek · derived fromλωτός
2. Latin · borrowed fromlōtus
3. English todaylotus

Unadapted borrowing from Latin lōtus, from Ancient Greek λωτός (lōtós). Doublet of lote. First attested in the 1540s. Ultimately from Hebrew לוֹט (lōṭ, “myrrh”, literally “covering, envelope”).

Words from the same roots

First known use, by meaning

• from 1580s A water lily (Nymphaea), especially those of Egypt or India.
• from 1848 Ellipsis of lotus position.