Where does “carboniferous” come from?
Carboniferous comes from English carbon and English -ous, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European bʰer- meaning "to bear or carry," through Old Latin -osos and Latin -o-wont-to-s.
carboniferous (English): Containing or producing carbon
Definitions
- Containing or producing carbon
Ancestry of “carboniferous”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | carbon | The chemical element with an atomic number of 6.... |
| 2 | English | budget | The amount of money or resources earmarked for a... |
| 3 | Middle English | bogett | — |
| 4 | Old French | bougette | — |
| 5 | Old French | bouge | sack; purse; small bag |
| 6 | Latin | bulga | knapsack, wallet, satchel; wallet, purse; womb |
| 7 | Gaulish | bolgā | bag, sack |
| 8 | Proto-Celtic | bolgos | sack, bag; stomach |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰelǵʰ- | to swell |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰel- | to sound; to speak, roar, bark; shiny, white; to... |
| 11 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰōl- | — |