littera.

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₂leyH-der. Old Latin leitera Latin līterader.? Proto-Hellenic *dipʰtʰérā? Ancient Greek διφθέρᾱ (diphthérā)bor. Etruscan [Term?]bor.? Latin littera Unknown. Two possibilities include: * From earlier lītera, the existence of which is disputed, with lengthening of the consonant (sometimes called the littera rule), from Old Latin leitera (attested ca. 122 BC, argued by Ernout & Meillet to be a false etymological attraction to lino), from a plural form of earlier adj. *lei-tos (cf. opera from opus), related to Latin linō (“smear”) and Proto-Italic *linō (“smear”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₂leyH- (“smear”). A variation of this is to reconstruct the PIE root as *leyt- (“to scratch”). : However, De Vaan points out that the past participle from lino is actually litus with a short i and, lacking any other traces of *leitos, says the scenario is "morphologically unconvincing". * Alternatively, perhaps via Etruscan [Term?] from (or related to, as if from a common source) Ancient Greek διφθέρᾱ (diphthérā, “leather; writing material”) which is claimed by Hesychius to be used to name tablets as well, of unknown ultimate origin.