Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “asexual” come from?

Asexual derives from English a- (prefix meaning "not") and English sexual, ultimately from Latin ad- and Proto-Indo-European h₂epo and al-.

asexual (English): Nonsexual in nature, unmarked by sexual activity;...

Definitions

  1. Nonsexual in nature, unmarked by sexual activity;...

Ancestry of “asexual”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Englishā-—
2Old Englishġe-—
3Proto-West Germanicga-used as an intensifier for verbs, indicating...
4Proto-Germanicga-Indicates association or togetherness; co-;...
5Proto-Indo-Europeanḱómbeside, near, by, with
6Proto-Indo-EuropeanḱeDeictic particle, here; Post-positional...
7Middle Englishkyt—
8Germankitt—
9Old High Germankuti—
10Proto-West Germanickwidugum, resin
11Proto-Germanickweduzresin
12Proto-Indo-Europeangʷet-resin, gum; to say, speak
13Proto-Indo-Europeangū-to bend; curve; arch; vault; to bow, bend, arch,...

Words derived from “asexual”

  • asexually
  • asexualization
  • asexualism
  • asexualize
  • bi-asexual
  • asexualist
  • asexualise
  • asexual
Every word from Proto-Indo-European gū- →