Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “amputate” come from?

Amputate derives from Latin amputo, formed from Latin ambi- and Latin ambo, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European h₂m̥bʰi meaning around or both sides.

amputate (English): To cut off, to prune; To surgically remove a part...

Definitions

  1. To cut off, to prune; To surgically remove a part...

Ancestry of “amputate”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1LatinamputoI prune, cut off; I curtail, shorten
2Latinambi-ambi-
3Latinambō—
4Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂m̥bʰiaround, on either side of, about; in exchange...
5Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂n̥tbʰi—
6Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂éntsforehead; front
7Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂ent-face; forehead; front
8Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂en-on, onto

Words derived from “amputate”

  • autoamputate
  • amputator
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂en- →