Where does “cisternful” come from?
cisternful (English) comes from English cistern, from Middle English cisterne, from Old French cisterne, from Latin cisterna, from Latin cista, from Ancient Greek κύστις, from Proto-Indo-European (s)kewH- — to cover, bedeck; cover.
cisternful (English): As much as a cistern can hold
Definitions
- As much as a cistern can hold
Ancestry of “cisternful”, step by step
cisternful traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English cistern
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | cistern | A reservoir or tank for holding water, especially... |
| 2 | Middle English | cisterne | cistern water receptacle |
| 3 | Old French | cisterne | — |
| 4 | Latin | cisterna | cistern, tank (for water), reservoir |
| 5 | Latin | cista | a trunk, a chest, a casket; vocative singular of... |
| 6 | Ancient Greek | κύστις | bladder |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | (s)kewH- | to cover, bedeck; cover |
via English ful
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | ful | — |