Where does “fluent” come from?

Fluent comes from Latin fluens, the present participle of Latin fluo meaning to flow, derived from Proto-Indo-European bʰlew-, which stems from Proto-Indo-European bʰel- meaning to swell or bloom.

fluent (English): That flows; flowing, liquid; Able to use a...

Definitions

  1. That flows; flowing, liquid; Able to use a...

Ancestry of “fluent”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Latinfluensflowing, streaming, pouring; being soaked in;...
2Latinfluōto flow, stream, pour
3Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰléh₁-to bleat
4Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰel-to sound; to speak, roar, bark; shiny, white; to...
5Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰōl-—

Words derived from “fluent”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰōl- →