Lividus
/ˈliː.wɪ.dus/noun
A Latin adjective meaning bluish, lead-colored, or bruised; in English, it underlies words like livid.
Did you know?Latin *lividus* is tied to *livere*, “to be bluish or lead-colored,” and its English descendant *livid* kept the image of a body marked by impact before it shifted toward fury.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*hlei-
“To be bluish, gray, or lead-colored”
Latin
Latin
livere
“To be bluish or lead-colored”
Latin
Latin
lividus
“Bluish, lead-colored, bruised; discolored by a blow”
Old French
Old French
livide
“Livid, lead-colored, bluish”
Middle English
English
livid
“Of a bluish or leaden color; later, angry or enraged”
Modern English
English
livid
“Extremely angry; also bluish or lead-colored in medical use”