Where does “ambiguous” come from?
Ambiguous derives from Latin ambiguus, formed from ambigere meaning to waver or go back and forth, itself from ambi- and ambo meaning both, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European h₂m̥bʰi.
ambiguous (English): Open to multiple interpretations; Vague and...
Definitions
- Open to multiple interpretations; Vague and...
Ancestry of “ambiguous”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Latin | ambiguus | going two ways, hither and thither, moving from... |
| 2 | Latin | ambigo | I go about; I wander; I hesitate, waver, doubt |
| 3 | Latin | ambi- | around, about |
| 4 | Latin | ambō | both |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂m̥bʰi | around, on either side of, about; in exchange... |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂n̥tbʰi | — |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂énts | forehead; front |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂ent- | face; forehead; front |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂en- | on, onto |