Where does “asbest” come from?
asbest (Dutch) comes from Middle Dutch asbeston, from Latin asbestos, from Ancient Greek ἄσβεστος, from Ancient Greek ἀ-, from Proto-Hellenic hə-, from Proto-Indo-European sm̥-, from Proto-Indo-European sem- — together, one.
asbest (Dutch): asbestos
Ancestry of “asbest”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle Dutch | asbeston | — |
| 2 | Latin | asbestos | — |
| 3 | Ancient Greek | ἄσβεστος | unquenchable, inextinguishable; endless,... |
| 4 | Ancient Greek | ἀ- | The alpha privativum, used to make words that... |
| 5 | Proto-Hellenic | hə- | same; together |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | sm̥- | one; with, together |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | sem- | together, one |