lotus (English)
Where does "lotus" come from?
The English noun 'lotus' is an unadapted borrowing from the Latin 'lōtus'[1]. This Latin form is a variant of 'lōtos', which comes from the Ancient Greek 'λωτός'[1][2]. The Greek term itself is likely derived from a Semitic source related to Hebrew, sharing a root that refers to a covering or veil[3][4]. In English, the word is first attested in the 1540s[1].
Open questions
- The Ancient Greek term is likely derived from a Semitic source, though this connection is not definitively established. [3] [4]
Full etymology tree
- lotus (English), 'A kind of aquatic plant, genus Nelumbo in the family Nelumbonaceae.'
- borrowed lotus (Latin), 'The Egyptian water lily, Nymphaea nouchali var. caerulea'
- derived lotos (Latin), 'The Egyptian lotus flower, Nymphaea caerulea'
- borrowed λωτός (lōtós) (Ancient Greek), 'name of various fodder plants:'
- derived (Semitic)
- borrowed λωτός (lōtós) (Ancient Greek), 'name of various fodder plants:'
- derived lotos (Latin), 'The Egyptian lotus flower, Nymphaea caerulea'
- borrowed lotus (Latin), 'The Egyptian water lily, Nymphaea nouchali var. caerulea'
Ancestors
- lotus (Latin)
- λωτός (Ancient Greek)
Cognates and doublets
- lote (English)
Descendants and derived words
- American lotus (English)
- blue lotus (English)
- honey lotus (English)
- honey-lotus (English)
- lotiform (English)
- lotus birth (English)
- lotus eater (English)
- lotus-eater (English)
- lotus-eating (English)
- lotus effect (English)
- lotus foot (English)
- lotus land (English)
Related words
Sources
- lotus (English) - Wiktionary
- lotus (Latin) - Wiktionary
- λωτός (lōtós) (Ancient Greek) - Wiktionary
- לוט (Hebrew) - Wiktionary
Updated October 2026
Etymology data from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · About Miraris