Where does “cavity” come from?

Cavity comes from Middle English cavity, from Middle French cavité, from Late Latin cavitas, from Latin cavus meaning hollow, with the nominal suffix -teh₂ and adjective suffix -tós ultimately from Proto-Indo-European ḱówHwos.

cavity (English): A hole or hollow depression; A hollow area within...

Definitions

  1. A hole or hollow depression; A hollow area within...

Ancestry of “cavity”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Frenchcavité—
2Latincavitascavity
3Latincavushollow, concave; excavated, channeled;...
4Proto-Italickawos—
5Proto-Indo-Europeanḱowh₁óshollow
6Proto-Indo-Europeanḱewh₁-to swell; to be strong

Words derived from “cavity”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European ḱewh₁- →