Where does “autoportrait” come from?
autoportrait (English) comes from English auto, from English automatic, from French automatique, from French automate, from Ancient Greek αὐτόματον, from Ancient Greek αὐτόματος, from Ancient Greek μέμαα, from Ancient Greek μέμονα — to think, mind; spiritual activity; to stay,...
autoportrait (English): A self-portrait
Definitions
- A self-portrait
Ancestry of “autoportrait”, step by step
autoportrait traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English auto
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | auto | Clipping of automatic; An automobile; A setting... |
| 2 | English | automatic | Capable of operating without external control or... |
| 3 | French | automatique | automatic |
| 4 | French | automate | automaton |
| 5 | Ancient Greek | αὐτόματον | accident, mere chance |
| 6 | Ancient Greek | αὐτόματος | self-willed, unbidden; self-moving,... |
| 7 | Ancient Greek | μέμαα | to wish eagerly, strive, yearn, desire |
| 8 | Ancient Greek | μέμονα | to be minded or inclined; to be eager; to hasten |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | memóne | to think, to be mindful; to remember |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | men- | to think, mind; spiritual activity; to stay,... |
via English portrait
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | portrait | A painting or other picture of a person,... |
| 2 | Middle French | portraict | — |
| 3 | Middle French | portraire | to portray |
| 4 | Latin | protraho | I drag, pull, draw or bring forth or out; I bring... |
| 5 | Latin | prō- | forward direction, forward movement |
| 6 | Proto-Italic | *pro- | pro- see the Latin entry for further meanings |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | pro- | toward, forward |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | por- | to give birth; forward, through; going, passage |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | per- | before, in front; first; to go through |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | pr̥tós | passed , crossed |