Etymograph

English

lectern

Lectern comes from Late Latin lectrum ‘a lectern’, from lectus ‘chosen’, and ultimately from Latin legō ‘to read’.

  1. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CElegō1‘to read’
  2. Late Latinc. 200–600 CElectus1‘chosen’form of legō
  3. Late Latinc. 200–600 CElectrum1‘a lectern’
  4. Medieval Latinc. 600–1500lectrinum1
  5. Old Frenchc. 842–1400leitrun1
  6. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500lettorne1
  7. Englishtodaylectern1

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor

  1. 1 Wiktionary, English lectern

Earlier history not traced here. See Wiktionary.

Lineage

  1. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CElegōWiktionary, English lectern‘to read’
  2. Late Latinc. 200–600 CElectusWiktionary, English lectern‘chosen’form of legō
  3. Late Latinc. 200–600 CElectrumWiktionary, English lectern‘a lectern’
  4. Medieval Latinc. 600–1500lectrinumWiktionary, English lectern
  5. Old Frenchc. 842–1400leitrunWiktionary, English lectern
  6. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500lettorneWiktionary, English lectern
  7. EnglishtodaylecternWiktionary, English lectern

Linked words

through Latin legō ‘to read’

college, election, collection, lesson, legend, elite, legacy, eligible, collective, colleague, select, delegation, elegant, coil, negligence, legion, collector, delegate, negligent, elect, diligent, negligible, collegiate, cull, legible, legation, collegium, relegate, ineligibility, legate, lector, 23 more

through Late Latin lectus ‘chosen’

lecture, litter, 2 more

Today it means

noun A stand with a slanted top used to support a Bible from which passages are read during a church service.

Sources

Sources: Wiktionary, “lectern”. 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 / Latin legō / lectern

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