madrigal

Where does the word "madrigal" come from? It comes from Latin matrix, passing through Late Latin, Venetian Italian and Italian before entering English (1580s).

Madrigal’s story begins in Latin: matrix meant “womb.” A word for a womb, the place of origin. By ancient, the word had taken hold in Late Latin as matricalis. An adjective meaning original or invented, derived from the womb-word. From there it passed into Venetian Italian as madregal by medieval. A dialect form describing something simple and artless. Italian picked it up next, as madrigale, around medieval. Named a short love poem, later a part-song for several voices. It reached English by 1580s as madrigal. Borrowed during the Renaissance vogue for Italian musical forms. Today, madrigal means a part-song for several voices, especially of the 16th and 17th centuries.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient matrix "womb", a word for a womb, the place of origin.
2. Stage 2 · Late Latin · ancient matricalis "invented, original", an adjective meaning original or invented, derived from the womb-word.
3. Stage 3 · Venetian Italian · medieval madregal "simple, ingenuous", a dialect form describing something simple and artless.
4. Stage 4 · Italian · medieval madrigale "a short poem or part-song", named a short love poem, later a part-song for several voices.
5. Stage 5 · English · 1580s madrigal "a part-song for several voices", borrowed during the Renaissance vogue for Italian musical forms.