Where does “split second” come from?
split second (Dutch) comes from English split-second, from English second, from Middle French seconder, from Latin secundo, from Latin secundus, from Latin sequor, from Proto-Italic sekʷōr, from Proto-Indo-European sékʷetor — to follow; to see; to say.
split second (Dutch): split-second
Definitions
- split-second
Ancestry of “split second”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | split-second | A stopwatch with two second hand, each of which may be stopped separately to time the intervals of a race by a sportsperson, or to time more than one sportsperson |
| 2 | English | second | Number-two; following after the first one with... |
| 3 | Middle French | seconder | — |
| 4 | Latin | secundo | dative masculine singular of secundus; dative... |
| 5 | Latin | secundus | second, the ordinal number after prīmus and... |
| 6 | Latin | sequor | I follow, come or go after |
| 7 | Proto-Italic | sekʷōr | follow, come/go after |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | sékʷetor | to be following |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | sekʷ- | to follow; to see; to say |