Where does “distribute” come from?

Distribute comes from Latin distribuere, composed of the prefix dis- and tribus meaning tribe, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European tréyes meaning three.

distribute (English): To divide into portions and dispense; To supply...

Definitions

  1. To divide into portions and dispense; To supply...

Ancestry of “distribute”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Latindistribūtusdivided, distributed
2Latindistribuerethird-person plural perfect active indicative of...
3Latintribuerethird-person plural perfect active indicative of...
4LatintribuoI grant, bestow; I yield, give up, concede, allow
5LatintribusOne of the three original tribes of Rome: Ramnes,...
6Latintrēsthree; 3
7Proto-Italictrēsthree
8Proto-Indo-European*tréyes

Words derived from “distribute

Every word from Proto-Indo-European *tréyes
distribute — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer