Where does “bitterwort” come from?
bitterwort (English) comes from English wort, from Middle English wort, from Old English wyrt, from Old English bisċop, from Latin episcopus, from Ancient Greek ἐπίσκοπος, from Ancient Greek ἐπισκοπέω, from Ancient Greek ἐπι- — to be hot; to burn.
bitterwort (English): A plant of species Gentiana lutea (great yellow gentian), which has a very bitter taste
Definitions
- A plant of species Gentiana lutea (great yellow gentian), which has a very bitter taste
Ancestry of “bitterwort”, step by step
bitterwort traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English wort
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | wort | A plant; herb; vegetable; Any of various plants... |
| 2 | Middle English | wort | A plant; Wort or an analogous mixture |
| 3 | Old English | wyrt | plant; herb; wort |
| 4 | Old English | bisċop | bishop |
| 5 | Latin | episcopus | an overseer, supervisor, bishop in a Christian... |
| 6 | Ancient Greek | ἐπίσκοπος | watcher, guardian; scout, watch; overseer,... |
| 7 | Ancient Greek | ἐπισκοπέω | I watch over |
| 8 | Ancient Greek | ἐπι- | on, upon, on top of, all over, covering; on,... |
| 9 | Ancient Greek | ἐπί | as well, besides; For usage in composition, see... |
| 10 | Ancient Greek | Ἡμέρα | — |
| 11 | Ancient Greek | ἦμαρ | day; by day; midday |
| 12 | Proto-Hellenic | ā́mər | day |
| 13 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂eh₃mr̥ | heat |
| 14 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂eh₃- | to be hot; to burn |
via English bitter
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | bitter | Having an acrid taste; Harsh, piercing or... |
| 2 | English | -er | A person or thing that does an action indicated... |
| 3 | Middle English | -er | agentive suffix; agent noun suffix |
| 4 | Old French | -er | Alternative form of -ier, verbal suffix;... |
| 5 | Latin | -āre | first conjugation |
| 6 | Proto-Italic | -āō | Forms primarily denominative verbs |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | -eh₂yéti | Creates iterative/ frequentative/ intensive... |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | -yéti | Creates intransitive, often deponent,... |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | yé- | — |
| 10 | Chichewa | iye | he, she |