Where does “precambrium” come from?

precambrium (Dutch) comes from Dutch pre, from Dutch preferentie, from French préférence, from French préférer, from Middle French preferer, from Old French preferer, from Latin praefero, from Proto-Italic praiferō.

precambrium (Dutch): Precambrian

Definitions

  1. Precambrian

Ancestry of “precambrium”, step by step

precambrium traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Dutch pre

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Dutchpreplus, reason to be preferred
2Dutchpreferentiepreference
3Frenchpréférencepreference; like
4Frenchpréférerto prefer
5Middle Frenchprefererto prefer
6Old Frenchprefererto prefer; to prioritize
7LatinpraeferoI bear, hold or carry before or forth; I carry...
8Proto-Italicpraiferō

via New Latin Cambrium

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1New LatinCambrium
Every word from Proto-Italic praiferōEvery word from Latin praeferoEvery word from Old French preferer