Online Etymology Dictionary

Etruscan: 1706, from L. Etruscus "an Etruscan," from Etruria, ancient name of Tuscany, of uncertain origin, but containing an element that might mean "water" (see Basque) and which could be a reference to the rivers in the region.
ceremony: late 14c., cerymonye, from M.L. ceremonia, from L. cærimonia "holiness, sacredness; awe; reverent rite, sacred ceremony," an obscure word, possibly of Etruscan origin, or a reference to the ancient rites performed by the Etruscan pontiffs at Caere, near Rome. Introduced in English by Wyclif.
Sergius: masc. proper name, from L., of Etruscan origin.
arête: "sharp crest of a mountain," 1862, from Swiss French, from L. arista "ear of grain," which probably is of Etruscan origin.
serve: late 12c., "to render habitual obedience to," from O.Fr. servir "to serve," from L. servire "to serve," originally "be a slave," related to servus "slave," perhaps from an Etruscan word (cf. Etruscan proper names Servi, Serve). Meaning "to attend to (a customer)" is first recorded mid-14c.; that of "to set food on (a table)" is from late 14c. Sporting sense, in tennis, badminton, etc., first recorded 1585; the noun in this sense is from 1680s. To serve (someone) right "to treat as he deserves" is recorded from 1580s. To serve the time "shape one's views to what is in favor" is from 1550s, translating L. tempori servire; time-server first recorded 1580s. Related: Served. Serving "a helping of food" is from 1769.
viburnum: genus of shrubs, the arrowwood, 1731, from L. viburnum, which is probably an Etruscan loan-word.
Vatican: 1555, from L. mons Vaticanus, Roman hill on which Papal palace stands. An Etruscan loan-word, not related to vates "sooth-sayer."
Tarpeian rock: rock face on the Capitoline Hill in Rome, from which persons convicted of treason were thrown headlong, from L. (mons) Tarpeius "(rock) of Tarpeia," said to have been a Vestal virgin who betrayed the capitol to the Sabines and was buried at the foot of the rock. Her name probably is of Etruscan-Tyrrhenian origin.
arena: 1620s, "place of combat," from L. harena "place of combat," originally "sand, sandy place," perhaps from Etruscan. The central stages of Roman amphitheaters were strewn with sand to soak up the blood.
ides: (pl.) early 14c., "middle day of a Roman month," from Fr. Ides (12c.), from L. idus, a word perhaps of Etruscan origin. The 15th of March, May, July, and October; the 13th of other months.
Vulcan: god of fire and metal-work in Roman mythology, 1513, from L. Vulcanus, a word of Etruscan origin. Often with allusions to his lameness and the unfaithfulness of his wife, Venus. As the name of a hypothetical planet between Mercury and the Sun, it is attested from 1870. The Roman feast of Vulcanalia was on Aug. 23.
mantissa: decimal part of a logarithm, 1641, from L. mantisa "a worthless addition, makeweight," probably from a Gaulish word introduced into L. via Etruscan (cf. O.Ir. meit, Welsh maint "size").
pulse (2): "peas, beans, lentils," c.1300, from O.Fr. pols, from L. puls "thick gruel," probably via Etruscan, from Gk. poltos "porridge."
Parmesan: type of dry, hard cheese, 1556, from It. Parmegiano, from Parma, city in northern Italy, one of the places where the cheese is made. The place name is ult. from Etruscan. Full form parmeson chese is recorded from 1519.
palate: late 14c., "roof of the mouth," from O.Fr. palat, from L. palatum "roof of the mouth," perhaps of Etruscan origin. Popularly considered the seat of taste, hence transferred meaning "sense of taste" (1520s).
Camilla: fem. proper name, from L., fem. of Camillus, cognomen of several members of the gens Furia, from camillus "noble youth attending at sacrifices," perhaps from Etruscan.
vernacular: c.1600, "native to a country," from L. vernaculus "domestic, native," from verna "home-born slave, native," a word of Etruscan origin. Used in English in the sense of Latin vernacula vocabula, in reference to language.
scurrilous: "using such language as only the licence of a buffoon can warrant" [Johnson], 1570s, from scurrile "coarsely joking" (c.1500, implied in scurrility), from L. scurrilis "buffoonlike," from scurra "fashionable city idler," later "buffoon." According to Klein, "an Etruscan loan-word."
histrionic: 1640s, from L. histrionicus "pertaining to an actor," from histrio (gen. histrionis) "actor," said to be of Etruscan origin.
Pollux: twin brother of Castor, name of the second star of Gemini, 1520s, from Latin, from Gk. Polydeukes, lit. "very sweet," from polys "much" (see poly-) + deukes "sweet." The contraction of the name in Latin is perhaps via Etruscan.
Tuscan: late 14c., from It. Toscano, from L.L. Tuscanus "belonging to the Tusci," a race of ancient Italy, from Tuscus, earlier *Truscus, aphetic form of Etruscus (cf. Etruscan).
catafalque: 1640s, from Fr. catafalque (17c.), from It. catafalco "scaffold," from V.L. *catafalicum, from Gk. kata- "down," used in M.L. with a sense of "beside, alongside" + fala "scaffolding, wooden siege tower," said to be of Etruscan origin.
haruspex: 1580s, from L. "soothsayer by means of entrails," first element related to L. hernia "rupture," Gk. khorde "gut," Skt. hira "entrails;" second element from L. spic- "beholding, inspecting" (see inspect). The practice is Etruscan.
ludicrous: 1619, "pertaining to play or sport," from L. ludicrus, from ludicrum "source of amusement, joke," from ludere "to play," which, with L. ludus "a game, play," may be from Etruscan, or from a PIE base *leid- "to play." Sense of "ridiculous" is attested from 1782.
baldric: c.1300, "belt worn over the shoulder," from O.Fr. baldre (Mod.Fr. baudrier "shoulder-belt"), which is probably from L. balteus "belt," said by Varro to be of Etruscan origin. The English word perhaps influenced by M.H.G. balderich (which is itself from the Old French).
farrier: 1562, from M.Fr. ferrier "blacksmith," from L. ferrarius "of iron," also "blacksmith," from ferrum "iron," possibly of Sem. origin, via Etruscan. In M.L., ferrus also meant "a horseshoe."
triumph (n.): late 14c., from O.Fr. triumphe (12c.), from L. triumphus "achievement, a success, procession for a victorious general or admiral," earlier triumpus, probably via Etruscan from Gk. thriambos "hymn to Dionysus," a loan-word from a pre-Hellenic language. Sense of "victory, conquest" is c.1400. The verb is first recorded late 15c. Related: Triumphed; triumphing.
form: early 13c., from O.Fr. forme, from L. forma "form, mold, shape, case," origin unknown. One theory holds that it is from Gk. morphe "form, beauty, outward appearance" (see Morpheus) via Etruscan. Sense of "behavior" is first recorded late 14c. The verb is attested from c.1300. Related: Formed; forming.
Capri: island in the Bay of Naples, of unknown origin: L. capra "she-goat," Gk. kapros "boar," Etruscan capra "burial place" all have been suggested. As a type of wine, 1877; as a type of pants, 1956 (see Capri pants).
atrium: 1570s, from L., "central court or main room of an ancient Roman house," sometimes said (on authority of Varro, "De Lingua Latina") to be an Etruscan word, but perhaps from PIE *ater- "fire," on notion of "place where smoke from the hearth escapes" (through a hole in the roof). Anatomical sense of "either of the upper cavities of the heart" first recorded 1870. Meaning "skylit central court in a public building" first attested 1967. Related: Atrial.
spurious: 1598, "born out of wedlock," from L. spurius "illegitimate, false" (cf. It. spurio, Sp. espurio), from spurius (n.) "illegitimate child," probably from Etruscan spural "public." Sense of "having an irregular origin, not properly constituted" is from 1601; that of "false, sham" is from 1615.
norm: "standard, pattern, model," 1821, from Fr. norme, from O.Fr., from L. norma "carpenter's square, rule, pattern," of unknown origin. Klein suggests a borrowing (via Etruscan) of Gk. gnomon "carpenter's square." The L. form of the word, norma, was used in Eng. in the sense of "carpenter's square" from 1676.
military: mid-15c., from M.Fr. militaire, from L. militaris "of soldiers or war," from miles (gen. militis) "soldier," perhaps ultimately from Etruscan, or else meaning "one who marches in a troop," and thus connected to Skt. melah "assembly," Gk. homilos "assembled crowd, throng." The noun sense of "soldiers generally" is attested from 1757. Military-industrial complex coined 1961 in farewell speech of U.S. president Dwight D. Eisenhower.
April: c.1300, aueril, from O.Fr. avrill (11c.), from L. (mensis) Aprilis "(month) of Venus," second month of the ancient Roman calendar, dedicated to the goddess Venus and perhaps based on Apru, an Etruscan borrowing of Gk. Aphrodite. Replaced O.E. Eastermonað, which was similarly named for a fertility goddess. Re-spelled in M.E. on L. model (apprile first attested late 14c.).
govern: c.1300, from O.Fr. governer "govern," from L. gubernare "to direct, rule, guide," originally "to steer," from Gk. kybernan "to steer or pilot a ship, direct" (the root of cybernetics). The -k- to -g- sound shift is perhaps via the medium of Etruscan. Related: Governed; governing.
Saturn: O.E. Sætern "Italic god," also "most remote planet" (then known), from L. Saturnus, Italic god of agriculture, possibly from Etruscan. Derivation from L. serere (pp. satus) "to sow" is said to be folk-etymology. Identified with Gk. Kronos, father of Zeus. Also the alchemical name for lead (late 14c.). In Akkadian, the planet was kaiamanu, lit. "constant, enduring," hence Heb. kiyyun, Arabic and Pers. kaiwan "Saturn."
belt (n.): O.E. belt, from P.Gmc. *baltjaz (cf. O.H.G. balz, O.N. balti, Swed. bälte), an early borrowing from L. balteus "girdle, sword belt," said by Varro to be an Etruscan word. As a mark of rank or distinction, mid-14c.; references to boxing championship belts date from 1812. Transferred sense of "broad stripe encircling something" is from 1660s. Below the belt "unfair" (1889) is from pugilism. To get something under (one's) belt is to get it into one's stomach.
Mercury: mid-12c., from L. Mercurius "Mercury," the Roman god, originally a god of tradesmen and thieves, from merx "merchandise;" or perhaps from Etruscan and influenced by merx. Later he was associated with Gk. Hermes. The planet closest to the sun so called in classical Latin (late 14c. in English). Sense of "silver-white metal, quicksilver" is first recorded late 14c., when seven metals (bodies terrestrial) were coupled in astrology and alchemy with the seven known heavenly bodies. This one probably so associated for its mobility. The others were Sun/gold, Moon/silver, Mars/iron, Saturn/lead, Jupiter/tin, Venus/copper.
person: early 13c., from O.Fr. persone "human being" (12c., Fr. personne), from L. persona "human being," originally "character in a drama, mask," possibly borrowed from Etruscan phersu "mask." This may be related to Gk. Persephone. The use of -person to replace -man in compounds and avoid alleged sexist connotations is first recorded 1971 (in chairperson). In person "by bodily presence" is from 1560s. Person-to-person first recorded 1919, originally of telephone calls.
Rome: O.E., from O.Fr. Rome, from L. Roma, of uncertain origin. "The original Roma quadrata was the fortified enclosure on the Palatine hill," according to Tucker, who finds "no probability" in derivation from *sreu- "flow," and suggests the name is "most probably" from *urobsma (cf. urbs, robur) and otherwise, "but less likely" from *urosma "hill" (cf. Skt. varsman- "height, point," Lith. virsus "upper"). Another suggestion is that it is from Etruscan (cf. Rumon, former name of Tiber River). Common in proverbs, e.g. Rome was not buylt in one daye (1545), for when a man doth to Rome come, he must do as there is done (1599), All roads alike conduct to Rome (1806).
pontifex: member of the supreme college of priests in ancient Rome, 1579, from L. pontifex, probably from pont-, stem of pons "bridge" + -fex, -ficis, root of facere "make." If so, the word originally meant "bridge-maker," or "path-maker." Weekley points out that, "bridge-building has always been regarded as a pious work of divine inspiration." Or the term may be metaphoric of bridging the earthly world and the realm of the gods. Other suggestions trace it to Oscan-Umbrian puntis "propitiary offering," or to a lost Etruscan word, in either case altered by folk-etymology to resemble the L. for "bridge-maker."
bust (1): 1690s, "sculpture of upper torso and head," from Fr. buste (16c.), from It. busto "upper body," from L. bustum "funeral monument, tomb," originally "funeral pyre, place where corpses are burned," perhaps shortened from ambustum, neut. of ambustus "burned around," pp. of amburere "burn around, scorch," from ambi- "around" + urere "to burn." Or perhaps from O.Latin boro, the early form of classical L. uro "to burn." Sense development in Italian is probably from Etruscan custom of keeping dead person's ashes in an urn shaped like the person when alive. Meaning "bosom" is 1819.
palace: late 13c., "official residence of an emperor, king, archbishop, etc.," from O.Fr. palais, from M.L. palacium "a palace," from L. palatium "palace" (cf. Sp. palacio, It. palazzo), from Mons Palatinus "the Palatine Hill," one of the seven hills of ancient Rome, where Augustus Caesar's house stood (the original "palace"), later the site of the splendid residence built by Nero. The hill name probably is ultimately from palus "stake," on the notion of "enclosure." Another guess is that it is from Etruscan and connected with Pales, supposed name of an Italic goddess of shepherds and cattle. The general sense of "splendid dwelling place" is from late 14c.
defenestration: 1620, "the action of throwing out of a window," from L. fenestra "window." A word invented for one incident: the "Defenestration of Prague," May 21, 1618, when two Catholic deputies to the Bohemian national assembly and a secretary were tossed out the window (into a moat) of the castle of Hradshin by Protestant radicals. It marked the start of the Thirty Years War. Some linguists link fenestra with Gk. verb phainein "to show;" others see in it an Etruscan borrowing, based on the suffix -(s)tra, as in L. loan-words aplustre "the carved stern of a ship with its ornaments," genista "the plant broom," lanista "trainer of gladiators." Related: Defenestrate (1915); defenestrated (1620).
market: mid-12c., "a meeting at a fixed time for buying and selling livestock and provisions," from O.N.Fr. market (O.Fr. marchiet, Fr. marché), from L. mercatus "trading, trade, market" (cf. It. mercato, Sp. mercado), from pp. of mercari "to trade, deal in, buy," from merx (gen. mercis) "wares, merchandise," from Italic root *merk-, possibly from Etruscan, referring to various aspects of economics. Meaning "public building or space where markets are held" first attested mid-13c. Sense of "sales, as controlled by supply and demand" is from 1680s. The verb is 1630s, from the noun. Market value (1690s) first attested in writings of John Locke. Market economy is from 1951; market research is from 1926.
strap: 1620, from Scottish and/or nautical variant of strope "loop or strap on a harness" (1357), probably from O.Fr. estrop "strap," from L. stroppus "strap, band," perhaps from Etruscan, ultimately from Gk. strophos "twisted band," from strephein "to turn" (see strophe). O.E. stropp, Du. strop "halter" also are borrowed from Latin. Slang adj. strapped "short of money" is from 1857, from strap in a now-obsolete sense of "financial credit" (1828). Strapping (adj.) "tall and sturdy," originally applied to women, is from 1657 (cf. whopping, spanking). Straphanger "bus- or subway-rider" first recorded 1905. The verb meaning "to fasten or secure with a strap" is recorded from 1711.
satellite: 1540s, "follower or attendant of a superior person," from M.Fr. satellite (14c.), from L. satellitem (nom. satelles) "attendant," perhaps from Etruscan satnal (Klein), or a compound of roots *satro- "full, enough" + *leit- "to go" (Tucker); cf. English follow, which is constructed of similar roots. Meaning "planet that revolves about a larger one" first attested 1660s, in reference to the moons of Jupiter, from L. satellites, which was used in this sense 1610s by German astronomer Johannes Kepler (1571-1630). Galileo, who had discovered them, called them Sidera Medicæa in honor of the Medici family. Meaning "man-made machinery orbiting the Earth" first recorded 1936 as theory, 1957 as fact. Meaning "country dependent and subservient to another" is recorded from 1800.
tyrant: c.1300, "absolute ruler," from O.Fr. tyrant (12c.), from L. tyrannus "lord, master, tyrant" (cf. Sp. tirano, It. tiranno), from Gk. tyrannos "lord, master, sovereign, absolute ruler," a loan-word from a language of Asia Minor (probably Lydian); cf. Etruscan Turan "mistress, lady" (surname of Venus).
In the exact sense, a tyrant is an individual who arrogates to himself the royal authority without having a right to it. This is how the Greeks understood the word 'tyrant': they applied it indifferently to good and bad princes whose authority was not legitimate. [Rousseau, "The Social Contract"]
The spelling with -t arose in O.Fr. by analogy with prp. endings in -ant. Fem. form tyranness is recorded from 1590 (Spenser); cf. M.L. tyrannissa (late 14c.).
autumn: late 14c., from O.Fr. autumpne, from L. autumnus (also auctumnus, perhaps infl. by auctus "increase"), a word perhaps of Etruscan origin. But Tucker suggests a meaning "drying-up season" and a root in *auq- (which would suggest the form in -c- was the original) and compares archaic English sere-month "August." Harvest was the English name for the season until autumn began to displace it 16c. In Britain, the season is popularly August through October; in U.S., September through November. Cf. It. autunno, Sp. otoño, Port. outono, all from the Latin word. Unlike the other three seasons, its names across the IE languages leave no evidence that there ever was a common word for it. Many "autumn words mean "end, end of summer," or "harvest." Cf. also Lith. ruduo "autumn," from rudas "reddish," in ref. to leaves; O.Ir. fogamar, lit. "under-winter."
people: late 13c., "humans, persons in general," from Anglo-Fr. people, O.Fr. peupel, from L. populus "people," of unknown origin, possibly from Etruscan. Replaced native folk. Meaning "body of persons comprising a community" first recorded late 13c. in Anglo-French; meaning "common people, masses" (as distinguished from the nobility) first recorded c.1300 in Anglo-French. The verb is late 15c. (intrans.), c.1500 (trans.). The word was adopted after c.1920 by Communist totalitarian states to give a spurious sense of populism to their governments. Legal phrase The People vs., in U.S. cases of prosecution under certain laws, dates from 1801. People of the Book "those whose religion entails adherence to a book of divine revelation (1834) translates Arabic Ahl al-Kitab.