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"link, bond (between people or things)" in seven languages

Meaninglink, bond (between people or things)

Spanish

vínculo

/ˈbinkulo/

masc.other source · learned, Latin VINCULUM 'bond, chain'

French

lien

/ljɛ̃/

masc.inherited

Italian

legame

/leˈgame/

masc.inherited

Portuguese

vínculo

/ˈvĩkulu/

masc.other source · learned, Latin VINCULUM 'bond, chain'

Laço (from LAQUEUM 'noose') is the warmer everyday word: laços de família.

Romanian

legătură

/ləɡəˈturə/

fem.other source · lega 'to tie' (Latin LIGĀRE) + -ătură

Catalan

lligam

/ʎiˈɡam/

masc.inherited

Catalan turns initial L- into ll-, as in lluna (LŪNA).

English

link

/lɪŋk/

other source · Middle English, from Old Norse

A web link is enlace, lien, link in the three sisters.

English → Italianlink, bond (between people or things)legameNot relatedDifferent sources — learn this one fresh. But English has relatives: ligament, ligature, liaison.What English and Italian share

The Latin ancestor

LIGĀMEN‘a tie, bandage (LIGĀRE 'to tie')’

All six sisters descend from it, unless marked otherwise below.

The story

French lien and Italian legame are both 'something that ties', from LIGĀRE; French wore LIGĀMEN down to one syllable. Spanish reaches for learned vínculo, Latin's word for a chain.

English relatives: ligament, ligature, liaison

Learn it

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In a sentence

  • esEl vínculo entre los dos hermanos es muy fuerte.
  • frLe lien entre les deux frères est très fort.
  • itIl legame tra i due fratelli è molto forte.
  • ptO vínculo entre os dois irmãos é muito forte.
  • roLegătura dintre cei doi frați este foarte puternică.
  • caEl lligam entre els dos germans és molt fort.
  • enThe link between the two brothers is very strong.

More in Ideas

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