Where does “decrement” come from?
Decrement comes from Latin decrementum, formed from the suffix -mentum attached to cresco meaning "to grow," prefixed with de- "away," ultimately from Proto-Indo-European ḱer- meaning "to grow or increase."
decrement (English): A small quantity removed or lost. One of a series...
Definitions
- A small quantity removed or lost. One of a series...
Ancestry of “decrement”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Latin | dēcrēmentum | diminution, decrease |
| 2 | Latin | dēcrēscō | to grow less or shorter, decrease, wane, dwindle |
| 3 | Latin | dē- | of; from |
| 4 | Latin | dē | of; concerning; about |
| 5 | Latin | post | behind; after, since, besides, except; behind,... |
| 6 | Latin | poste | ablative singular of postis |
| 7 | Proto-Italic | posti | behind, after |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | pósti | after |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | pós | afterwards, post; by, at |