Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “antimeridian” come from?

antimeridian (English) comes from English meridian, from Middle English meridian, from Middle French meridien, from Latin meridianus, from Latin merīdiēs, from Latin medīdiēs, from Latin diēs, from Proto-Italic djēm — to be bright; sky, heaven.

antimeridian (English): The reference line at 180° longitude, on the...

Definitions

  1. The reference line at 180° longitude, on the...

Ancestry of “antimeridian”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishmeridianThe south; Midday, noon; A great circle passing...
2Middle Englishmeridian—
3Middle Frenchmeridienmidday; the south; celestial meridian
4Latinmeridianusmidday, noon; southern
5Latinmerīdiēs—
6Latinmedīdiēs—
7Latindiēs—
8Proto-Italicdjēmaccusative singular of *djous
9Proto-Italic*djous—
10Proto-Indo-Europeandyḗwssky, heaven; sky god
11Proto-Indo-Europeandyéws—
12Proto-Indo-Europeandyew-to be bright; sky, heaven
Every word from Proto-Indo-European dyew- →