English
altercation
Altercation comes from Latin altercor ‘to have a discussion or difference with another’, from Proto-Italic *aliteros ‘other (of two)’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₂el-.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂el-1‘beyond, other’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂élyos1‘other, another’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*aljos1‘another’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*aliteros1‘other (of two)’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEalter1‘the other, another’
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEaltercor2‘to have a discussion or difference with another’
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEaltercātiō3
- Englishearliest quotation 1614altercation3
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor
- 1 Wiktionary, Latin altercor
- 2 Wiktionary, Latin altercatio
- 3 Wiktionary, English altercation
- Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: 1614, Walter Ralegh [i.e., Walter Raleigh]: “VVee ſeldome find one peece of Scripture ſo preciſely…”.
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂el-Wiktionary, Latin altercor‘beyond, other’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂élyosWiktionary, Latin altercor‘other, another’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*aljosWiktionary, Latin altercor‘another’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*aliterosWiktionary, Latin altercor‘other (of two)’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEalterWiktionary, Latin altercor‘the other, another’
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEaltercorWiktionary, Latin altercatio‘to have a discussion or difference with another’
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEaltercātiōWiktionary, English altercation
- Englishearliest quotation 1614altercationWiktionary, English altercation. Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: 1614, Walter Ralegh [i.e., Walter Raleigh]: “VVee ſeldome find one peece of Scripture ſo preciſely…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *h₂el- ‘beyond, other’
as, all, old, adult, el, element, ultra, ellen, ultimate, elder, outrage, ou, alumni, adolescent, altitude, abolish, alpine, altar, alt, alias, qualification, alto, alum, auld, alp, proletariat, alimony, retaliate, coalesce, foetal, aad, eld, ulterior, exalt, althea, withal, altimeter, 58 more
through Proto-Indo-European *h₂élyos ‘other, another’
else, parallax, alienate, inalienable, alienation, 29 more
through Proto-Italic *aljos ‘another’
through Proto-Italic *aliteros ‘other (of two)’
through Latin alter ‘the other, another’
Today it means
noun An angry or heated dispute.
Sources
Sources: Wiktionary, “altercation”; the older steps come from the Wiktionary entries for Latin altercor, Latin altercatio. By Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0, via kaikki.org (dump of Oct 3 2026); text adapted and restructured. Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word. License.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *h₂el- / altercation