Where does “embellishment” come from?
Embellishment comes from Old French embellir, composed of Old French in- and -ir, ultimately from Latin in-, Latin -mentum (a suffix forming nouns), and Proto-Indo-European roots including ne- and men-.
embellishment (English): An added touch; an ornamental addition; a...
Definitions
- An added touch; an ornamental addition; a...
Ancestry of “embellishment”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | embellish | To make more beautiful and attractive; to... |
| 2 | Old French | embellir | to make prettier; to make more attractive; to... |
| 3 | Old French | bel | Alternative form of biau; good, pretty |
| 4 | Latin | bellus | beautiful, pretty, handsome; pleasant, agreeable,... |
| 5 | Latin | villus | hair, tuft of hair, shaggy hair |
| 6 | Latin | vellus | The wool shorn from a sheep; fleece; wool; The... |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂welh₁- | to rule; strong, powerful; hair; wool |