Where does “equisetum” come from?
equisetum (English) comes from Latin saeta, from Proto-Italic saitā, from Proto-Indo-European séh₂ito-, from Proto-Indo-European sh₂ey-, from Proto-Indo-European seh₂- — to satiate, satisfy.
equisetum (English): The horsetail
Ancestry of “equisetum”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Latin | saeta | a bristle, hair on an animal; silk |
| 2 | Proto-Italic | saitā | — |
| 3 | Proto-Indo-European | séh₂ito- | — |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | sh₂ey- | to bind, fetter |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | seh₂- | to satiate, satisfy |