Where does “culminate” come from?
Culminate comes from Medieval Latin culminatus, past participle of Latin culminare meaning to reach the top, derived from Latin culmen meaning summit or peak, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European kelH- meaning to rise or be prominent.
culminate (English): Of a heavenly body, to be at the highest point,...
Definitions
- Of a heavenly body, to be at the highest point,...
Ancestry of “culminate”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Medieval Latin | culminatus | — |
| 2 | Latin | culmen | stalk; top, roof, summit, peak; height, acme |
| 3 | Proto-Italic | kolamen | — |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | ḱelH- | to freeze |