Etymograph

English

honourable

Honourable comes from Latin honōrō ‘to honour’, from honor ‘honor, repute’, and ultimately from Old Latin honōs.

  1. Old Latinc. 700–75 BCEhonōs1earlier origin unknown
  2. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEhonor2‘honor, repute’
  3. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEhonōrō3‘to honour’
  4. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEhonōrābilis3
  5. Old Frenchc. 842–1400honorable3
  6. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500honourable3
  7. Englishearliest quotation 1846honourable3

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor

  1. 1 Wiktionary, Latin honor
  2. 2 Wiktionary, Latin honoro
  3. 3 Wiktionary, English honourable
  4. Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: 1846, George Luxford, Edward Newman: “It was aptly said by Newton that "whatever is…”.

Lineage

  1. Old Latinc. 700–75 BCEhonōsWiktionary, Latin honorearlier origin unknown
  2. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEhonorWiktionary, Latin honoro‘honor, repute’
  3. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEhonōrōWiktionary, English honourable‘to honour’
  4. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEhonōrābilisWiktionary, English honourable
  5. Old Frenchc. 842–1400honorableWiktionary, English honourable
  6. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500honourableWiktionary, English honourable
  7. Englishearliest quotation 1846honourableWiktionary, English honourable. Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: 1846, George Luxford, Edward Newman: “It was aptly said by Newton that "whatever is…”

Equivalent to honour + -able

The story

In this sense, largely displaced Old English ārfæst.

Full etymology on Wiktionary

Linked words

through Old Latin honōs

dishonor, 3 more

through Latin honor ‘honor, repute’

honor, dishonour, 4 more

through Middle English honourable

honorable

Today it means

adj UK standard spelling of honorable.

Sources

Sources: Wiktionary, “honourable”; the older steps come from the Wiktionary entries for Latin honor, Latin honoro. 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 / Old Latin honōs / honourable

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