Where does “candlelighter” come from?
candlelighter (English) comes from English lighter, from English -er, from Middle English -er, from Old French -er, from Latin -āre, from Proto-Italic -āō, from Proto-Indo-European -eh₂yéti, from Proto-Indo-European -yéti — he, she.
candlelighter (English): A person who lights candles
Definitions
- A person who lights candles
Ancestry of “candlelighter”, step by step
candlelighter traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English lighter
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | lighter | comparative form of light: more light; One who,... |
| 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 |
via English candle
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | candle | A light source consisting of a wick embedded in a... |
| 2 | Middle English | candel | candle |
| 3 | Old English | candel | candle |
| 4 | Latin | candēla | A light made of wax or tallow; tallow candle or taper |
| 5 | Latin | candeō | to be brilliant, glittering or illuminated; to shine, glitter, glisten; gleam white |
| 6 | Proto-Italic | kandēō | — |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | kand- | to shine, glow |