Etymology

magistral

ma·gis·tral
M3A1G2I1S1T1R1A1L1

Today it means: Of, relating to, or befitting a master; authoritative. Full definition →

First used 16th c.Middle French magistra ← Latin magistrālis ← Proto-Indo-European *h₂élisder.?
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The story

  1. Proto-Indo-European*meǵh₂-
  2. Proto-Indo-European*meh₂-
  3. Proto-Italic*magisteros
  4. Latinmagister
  5. Proto-Indo-European*h₂el-
  6. Proto-Indo-European*h₂élisder.?
  7. Latinmagistrālis
  8. Middle Frenchmagistra
  9. English todaymagistral

Borrowed from Middle French magistral, from Latin magistrālis, from magister (“master, teacher”) + -ālis. Doublet of mistral.

First known use, by meaning

  • from 16th c. Of, relating to, or befitting a master; authoritative.
  • 16th–17th c. Sovereign (of a remedy); extremely effective.
  • from 16th c. Formulated extemporaneously, or for a special case; opposed to officinal, and said of prescriptions and medicines.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.