Rota
/ˈrəʊ.tə/noun
A schedule or roster assigning people to duties in rotation.
Did you know?In medieval and Renaissance symbolism, the wheel—rota—was strongly associated with Fortuna, whose turning wheel represented the unstable rise and fall of human fate.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*ret-
“To roll or run; the reconstructed root behind words connected with wheels and rotation.”
Ancient Sanskrit
Sanskrit
ratha
“Chariot or wheeled vehicle, a distant Indo-European relative of Latin rota.”
Ancient Greek
Greek
rhotē
“Wheel or something revolving; a related Indo-European development.”
Classical Latin
Latin
rota
“Wheel, disk, or circular object; also a wheel used metaphorically for cycles and turning fortune.”
Medieval Latin
Latin
rota
“A wheel, circle, or recurring cycle; the term remained connected with circular order and rotation.”
18th Century
English
rota
“A roster or system in which people take turns, likely named metaphorically for a rotating cycle.”
Modern English
English
rota
“A practical schedule assigning shifts, duties, or appointments in rotation.”