reptile

The story

1. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*rep-“to creep, slink”
2. Latin · derived fromrēpō“to creep”
3. Late Latin · derived fromrēptile
4. Old French · derived fromreptile
5. Middle English · inherited fromreptil
6. English todayreptile

From Middle English reptil, from Old French reptile, from Late Latin rēptile, neuter of reptilis (“creeping”), from Latin rēpō (“to creep”), from Proto-Indo-European *rep- (“to creep, slink”) (Pokorny; Watkins, 1969).

First known use, by meaning

• from 19th c. A (typically scaly and egg-laying) cold-blooded vertebrate tetrapod animal, of the class Reptilia (excluding birds), such as a lizard, turtle, snake, crocodile, alligator, etc.
• from 14th c. Any creeping or crawling animal, one that moves along close to the ground on its belly or on short legs, such as a lizard, snake, salamander, frog, toad, or scorpion.
• from 18th c. An animal belonging to either the class Reptilia or the class Amphibia.
• from 18th c. An abject, grovelling, loathsome or repulsive person.