Where does “acrobatic” come from?
Acrobatic derives from French -ique, Ancient Greek ἀκροβάτης (one who walks on tiptoe), combining ἄκρον (peak, tip) and βαίνω (to walk), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European gʷem-.
acrobatic (English): Of or pertaining to an acrobat; vigorously active
Definitions
- Of or pertaining to an acrobat; vigorously active
Ancestry of “acrobatic”, step by step
acrobatic traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English acrobat
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | acrobat | An athlete who performs acts requiring skill,... |
| 2 | French | acrobate | acrobat |
| 3 | Ancient Greek | ἀκροβάτης | acrobat |
| 4 | Ancient Greek | βαίνω | to go, step, move on foot; to mount; to depart,... |
| 5 | Proto-Hellenic | gʷəňňō | to go, to step |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | gʷm̥yéti | to come |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | -yéti | Creates intransitive, often deponent,... |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | yé- | — |
| 9 | Chichewa | iye | he, she |
via French acrobatique
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | French | acrobatique | acrobatic |
| 2 | French | -ique | Used to form adjectives from nouns: -ic, -ical,... |
| 3 | Middle French | -ique | ic |
| 4 | Old French | -ique | -ic |
| 5 | Latin | -icus | belonging to; derived from; of or pertaining to;... |
| 6 | Proto-Italic | *-ikos | forms adjectives with the sense of 'of or pertaining to' |