Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “-zoon” come from?

-zoon (English) comes from Latin -zoon, from Ancient Greek ζῷον, from Proto-Hellenic ďṓyyon, from Proto-Hellenic gʷyōwyon, from Proto-Indo-European gʷyeh₃w-y-om, from Proto-Indo-European gʷíh₃weti, from Proto-Indo-European gʷih₃wós, from Proto-Indo-European gʷeih₃w- — to live.

-zoon (English): Forming nouns indicating individual members of...

Definitions

  1. Forming nouns indicating individual members of...

Ancestry of “-zoon”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Latin-zoon—
2Ancient Greekζῷονanimal, beast; form, image
3Proto-Hellenicďṓyyonanimal, creature, beast
4Proto-Hellenicgʷyōwyon—
5Proto-Indo-Europeangʷyeh₃w-y-om—
6Proto-Indo-Europeangʷíh₃wetito live, to be alive
7Proto-Indo-Europeangʷih₃wósalive, living
8Proto-Indo-Europeangʷeih₃w-to live

Words derived from “-zoon”

  • protozoon
  • microzoon
  • protozoa
Every word from Proto-Indo-European gʷeih₃w- →