Where does “Shakespearean” come from?
Shakespearean derives from Shakespeare plus the English suffix -ana (from Italian -ana, from Spanish -ana, from Latin -anus, ultimately from Proto-Italic -os), forming an adjective meaning "of or relating to Shakespeare."
Shakespearean (English): Of or pertaining to, characteristic of,...
Definitions
- Of or pertaining to, characteristic of,...
Ancestry of “Shakespearean”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | Shakespeare | Eloquent language, especially English; poetry; A... |
| 2 | English | Spear | A long stick with a sharp tip used as a weapon for throwing or thrusting, or anything used to make a thrusting motion |
| 3 | Middle English | spere | A spear or lance; The Lance of Longinus; A barb... |
| 4 | Old French | sphere | sphere shape |
| 5 | Latin | sphēra | — |
| 6 | Ancient Greek | σφαῖρα | ball, globe, sphere |
| 7 | Ancient Greek | -ειδής | like, connected to, from the nature of, full of;... |
| 8 | Ancient Greek | -ής | adjective suffix |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | -ēs | Primarily forms adjectival bahuvrīhi compounds |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | -ess | — |
| 11 | Proto-Indo-European | -os | Creates action nouns or result nouns from verbs;... |