Where does “coleopter” come from?
coleopter (English) comes from French coléoptère, from Ancient Greek κολεόπτερος, from Ancient Greek πτερόν, from Proto-Indo-European péth₂r̥, from Proto-Indo-European peth₂- — to spread out; to fly.
coleopter (English): One of the Coleoptera
Ancestry of “coleopter”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | French | coléoptère | — |
| 2 | Ancient Greek | κολεόπτερος | sheath-winged |
| 3 | Ancient Greek | πτερόν | feather; wing; Any winged creature |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | péth₂r̥ | wing; feather |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | peth₂- | to spread out; to fly |