Where does “epiphytous” come from?
epiphytous (English) comes from English ous, from English ou, from Afrikaans ou, from Dutch oud, from Middle Dutch out, from Old Dutch ald, from Proto-West Germanic ald, from Proto-Germanic aldaz — to grow, nourish.
Ancestry of “epiphytous”, step by step
epiphytous traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English ous
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | ous | plural of ou |
| 2 | English | ou | A probably extinct species of Hawaiian... |
| 3 | Afrikaans | ou | An old fellow, guy, bloke; attributive form of... |
| 4 | Dutch | oud | old |
| 5 | Middle Dutch | out | old |
| 6 | Old Dutch | ald | — |
| 7 | Proto-West Germanic | ald | old |
| 8 | Proto-Germanic | aldaz | old, grown up |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂eltós | — |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂él- | to grow, nourish |
via English epiphyte
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | epiphyte | A plant that grows on another, using it for... |
| 2 | Ancient Greek | ἐπιφύτον | one that grows upon another plant |
| 3 | Ancient Greek | ἐπί | as well, besides; For usage in composition, see... |
| 4 | Ancient Greek | Ἡμέρα | — |
| 5 | Ancient Greek | ἦμαρ | day; by day; midday |
| 6 | Proto-Hellenic | ā́mər | day |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂eh₃mr̥ | heat |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂eh₃- | to be hot; to burn |