Catena
/kəˈtiːnə/noun
A chain or linked series of things; in theology, a chain of commentary or quotations.
Did you know?Catena comes from Latin, and its root fed into words for being captive or chained, making it one of those quietly powerful “binding” words that still feel ritualistic today.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*kat-
“to seize, catch, hold”
Latin
Latin
catena
“a chain, fetter”
Late Latin
Latin
catena
“a linked series; a chain of authorities or texts”
Middle English
English
catene
“a chain or series of linked things”
Modern English
English
catena
“a chain; especially a connected series of quotations or commentary”