Origin and history of erect

erect(adj.)

late 14c., "upright, not bending," from Latin erectus "upright, elevated, lofty; eager, alert, aroused; resolute; arrogant," past participle of erigere "raise or set up," from e- "up, out of" + regere "to direct, keep straight, guide" (from PIE root *reg- "move in a straight line," with derivatives meaning "to direct in a straight line," thus "to lead, rule").

also from late 14c.

erect(v.)

c. 1400, a back-formation from erect (adj.) or else from Latin erectus. Related: Erected; erecting.

also from c. 1400

Entries linking to erect

alert(adv.)

"on the watch," 1610s, from French alerte "vigilant" (17c.), from prepositional phrase à l'erte "on the watch," from Italian all'erta "to the height." The second element is from erta "lookout, high tower," noun use of fem. of erto, past participle of ergere "raise up," from Latin erigere "raise" (see erect (adj.)).

The adjective is attested from 1712; the noun is from 1796 as "attitude of vigilance" (as in on the alert); 1803 as "a warning report." The verb is by 1864. Related: Alerted; alerting.

erectile(adj.)

1822, "pertaining to muscular erection," from French érectile, from Latin erect-, past participle stem of erigere "to raise or set up" (see erect (adj.)).

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Trends of erect

adapted from books.google.com/ngrams/ with a 7-year moving average; ngrams are probably unreliable.

Origin and history of erect

erect(adj.)

erect(v.)

Entries linking to erect

Trends of erect

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