Where does “Pleistocene” come from?

Pleistocene derives from Ancient Greek πλεῖστος (pleîstos, "most") and Ancient Greek πολύς (polús, "much"), which trace to Proto-Indo-European polh₁ús and pleh₁-, a root meaning "full" or "to fill."

Pleistocene (English): Of a geologic epoch within the Neogene period...

Definitions

  1. Of a geologic epoch within the Neogene period...

Ancestry of “Pleistocene”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Ancient Greekκαινόςnew, novel, recent; fresh, unused; strange,...
2Proto-Hellenickəňňós—
3Proto-Indo-Europeankn̥-yós—
4Proto-Indo-Europeanken-to arise, begin
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ken- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European kn̥-yós →Every word from Proto-Hellenic kəňňós →