Where does “mastodont” come from?
mastodont (Dutch) comes from French mastodonte, from Ancient Greek ὀδούς, from Proto-Hellenic odónts, from Proto-Indo-European h₃dónts, from Proto-Indo-European h₁ed- — to eat.
mastodont (Dutch): mastodon, mammal of the family Mammutidae, especially of the genus Mammut
Definitions
- mastodon, mammal of the family Mammutidae, especially of the genus Mammut
Ancestry of “mastodont”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | French | mastodonte | mastodon |
| 2 | Ancient Greek | ὀδούς | A tooth, tusk; anything pointed: spike, prong;... |
| 3 | Proto-Hellenic | odónts | tooth |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | h₃dónts | tooth |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | h₁ed- | to eat |