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Origin and history of nomad

nomad(n.)

"a wanderer, one of a tribe of people who have no fixed abode," 1550s (in plural, nomades), from French nomade (16c.), from Latin Nomas (genitive Nomadis) "wandering groups in Arabia," from Greek nomas (genitive nomados, plural nomades) "roaming, roving, wandering" (from place to place to find pasturage for their flocks or herds), related to nomos "pasture, pasturage, grazing," literally "land allotted" (from PIE root *nem- "assign, allot; take").

also from 1550s

Entries linking to nomad

nomadic(adj.)

"wandering, roving, leading the life of a nomad," 1800, from nomad + -ic.

Numidia

ancient kingdom in North Africa, later a Roman province roughly corresponding to modern Algeria, Latin, named for its inhabitants, the Numidians, whose name is related to nomad (n.). Related: Numidian.

Betwix Egipte and þe land þat es called Numid er xii day iourneez in desertes. Þe folk þat wones in þat cuntree er called Numidianes, and þai are cristned. Bot þai er blakk of colour. [John Mandeville's "Travels," c. 1425]
*nem-

Proto-Indo-European root meaning "assign, allot; take."

It might form all or part of: agronomy; anomie; anomy; antinomian; antinomy; astronomer; astronomy; autonomous; autonomy; benumb; Deuteronomy; economy; enumerate; enumeration; gastronomy; heteronomy; innumerable; metronome; namaste; nemesis; nimble; nim; nomad; nomothetic; numb; numeracy; numeral; numerator; numerical; numerology; numerous; numismatic; supernumerary; taxonomy.

It might also be the source of: Greek nemein "to deal out," nemesis "just indignation;" Latin numerus "number;" Lithuanian nuoma "rent, interest;" Middle Irish nos "custom, usage;" German nehmen "to take."

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    Trends of nomad

    adapted from books.google.com/ngrams/ with a 7-year moving average; ngrams are probably unreliable.

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