Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “desultory” come from?

Desultory comes from Latin desultorius, meaning a circus performer who jumps between horses, derived from Latin desultor, one who jumps, from the verb salio meaning to jump, with the prefix de-.

desultory (English): Jumping, or passing, from one thing or subject to...

Definitions

  1. Jumping, or passing, from one thing or subject to...

Ancestry of “desultory”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Latindesultoriusdesultory; superficial
2Latindesultorleaper, vaulter; A sort of riders, who, in the...
3Latindēsiliō—
4Latindē-—
5Latindē—
6Latinpostbehind; after, since, besides, except; behind,...
7Latinposteablative singular of postis
8Proto-Italicposti—
9Proto-Indo-Europeanpósti—
10Proto-Indo-Europeanpósafterwards, post; by, at

Words derived from “desultory”

  • desultorily
  • desultoriness
Every word from Proto-Indo-European pós →