Where does “circumstantial” come from?
Circumstantial comes from Latin circumstantia, the noun form of circumstans, the present participle of circumsto, meaning to stand around, from circum- and the Proto-Indo-European root steh₂- meaning to stand.
circumstantial (English): Pertaining to or dependent on circumstances,...
Definitions
- Pertaining to or dependent on circumstances,...
Ancestry of “circumstantial”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | French | circonstanciel | adjectival |
| 2 | French | circonstance | circumstance |
| 3 | Old French | circonstance | — |
| 4 | Latin | circumstantia | surrounding; encircling troops; circumstance |
| 5 | Latin | circumstans | surrounding, encircling |
| 6 | Latin | circumsto | I stand around, or in a circle; I surround or... |
| 7 | Latin | circum- | circum- round, about |
| 8 | Latin | circum | about, around; in a circle, all around, on both... |
| 9 | Latin | circus | a circular line or orbit; circle, ring; a... |
| 10 | Ancient Greek | κρίκος | ring |
| 11 | Proto-Indo-European | (s)ḱer- | dung, manure, filth; manure, dung, filth |