Where does “extinction” come from?
Extinction comes from Latin extinctio, the noun form of extinctus, past participle of extinguere, meaning to quench or put out, from ex- and a root related to Proto-Indo-European eǵ-.
extinction (English): The action of making or becoming extinct;...
Definitions
- The action of making or becoming extinct;...
Ancestry of “extinction”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Latin | extinctio | Alternative form of exstinctiō; extinction,... |
| 2 | Latin | extinguere | second-person singular future passive indicative... |
| 3 | Latin | extinguo | I quench, extinguish, kill |
| 4 | Latin | stinguo | I put out, extinguish |
| 5 | Proto-Italic | *stengʷō | to push |