Where does “American Indian” come from?
American Indian (English) comes from English american, from English -n, from Old Norse -inn, from Proto-Norse -īna-, from Proto-Germanic -īnaz, from Proto-Indo-European -iHnos, from Proto-Indo-European -no- — adjectival suffix.
American Indian (English): A member of some indigenous peoples of the...
Definitions
- A member of some indigenous peoples of the...
Ancestry of “American Indian”, step by step
American Indian traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English american
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | american | A citizen or national of the United States of America |
| 2 | English | -n | Alternative form of -en; API; Alternative form of... |
| 3 | Old Norse | -inn | Used to create adjectives from nouns, meaning... |
| 4 | Proto-Norse | -īna- | — |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | -īnaz | -en |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | -iHnos | Creates adjectives of materials |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | -no- | adjectival suffix |