Where does “Mesozoic” come from?
Mesozoic derives from Ancient Greek μέσος and ζῷον, meaning "middle" and "animal," from Proto-Indo-European médʰyos and gʷih₃wós, the roots for "middle" and "living creature."
Mesozoic (English): Of a geologic era within the Phanerozoic eon that...
Definitions
- Of a geologic era within the Phanerozoic eon that...
Ancestry of “Mesozoic”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | zoic | Showing traces of life; containing organic... |
| 2 | Ancient Greek | ζωϊκός | of or pertaining to animals |
| 3 | Ancient Greek | ζῷον | animal, beast; form, image |
| 4 | Proto-Hellenic | ďṓyyon | animal, creature, beast |
| 5 | Proto-Hellenic | gʷyōwyon | — |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | gʷyeh₃w-y-om | — |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | gʷíh₃weti | to live, to be alive |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | gʷih₃wós | alive, living |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | gʷeih₃w- | to live |