Etymologicon Linguae Anglicanae

dictionary by Skinner

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June 26, 2026

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Stephen Skinner's Etymologicon Linguae Anglicanae, published in 1671, was an early and significant etymological dictionary for the English language. Written in Latin, it aimed to find classical origins for English words. This work reflects a trend in early lexicography where scholars sought to connect vernacular languages to ancient, prestigious ones. While influential, its approach was later superseded by more scientifically grounded philological methods, such as those employed by Walter William Skeat in the late 19th century.12

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…for English was Stephen Skinner’s Etymologicon Linguae Anglicanae of 1671, in Latin, with a strong bias for finding a Classical origin for every English word. In the 18th century, a number of dictionaries were published that traced most English words to Celtic sources, because the authors did not realize that…
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…for English was Stephen Skinner’s Etymologicon Linguae Anglicanae of 1671, in Latin, with a strong bias for finding a Classical origin for every English word. In the 18th century, a number of dictionaries were published that traced most English words to Celtic sources, because the authors did not realize that…
Read More