Where does “catapult” come from?
Catapult comes from Middle French catapulte, from Latin catapulta, from Ancient Greek καταπέλτης, combining κατά with a root from Proto-Indo-European pel-.
catapult (English): A device or weapon for throwing or launching...
Definitions
- A device or weapon for throwing or launching...
Ancestry of “catapult”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle French | catapulte | — |
| 2 | Latin | catapulta | a catapult |
| 3 | Ancient Greek | καταπέλτης | Literary form of κᾰτᾰπᾰ́λτης |
| 4 | Ancient Greek | κατά | |
| 5 | Ancient Greek | καταστερίζω | to place among the stars; I put among the stars |
| 6 | Ancient Greek | ἀστήρ | a celestial body; illustrious person; starfish |
| 7 | Proto-Hellenic | astḗr | star |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂stḗr | star |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂eHs- | to be/become dry; to burn, to glow; hearth |
Words derived from “catapult”