Where does “fluctuate” come from?

Fluctuate derives from Latin fluctuāre, the frequentative of fluctus, past participle of fluere meaning "to flow," ultimately from Proto-Indo-European bʰel-.

fluctuate (English): To vary irregularly; to swing; To undulate; To be...

Definitions

  1. To vary irregularly; to swing; To undulate; To be...

Ancestry of “fluctuate”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Latinfluctuatus
2Latinfluctuōto surge, swell, undulate
3Latinfluctusa wave, billow
4Latinfluōto flow, stream, pour
5Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰléh₁-to bleat
6Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰel-to sound; to speak, roar, bark; shiny, white; to...
7Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰōl-—

Words derived from “fluctuate”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰōl- →