Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “foretellable” come from?

foretellable (English) comes from English able, from Middle English able, from Old French able, from Latin habilis, from Latin -ilis, from Proto-Italic -elis, from Proto-Indo-European -elis, from Proto-Indo-European -lós — Forms agent nouns from verbal roots.

foretellable (English): Able to be foretold; predictable

Definitions

  1. Able to be foretold; predictable

Ancestry of “foretellable”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishableEasy to use; Suitable; competent; Liable to
2Middle Englishable—
3Old Frenchableable; capable
4Latinhabilisable to have/possess/maintain; having sufficient...
5Latin-ilis-ile
6Proto-Italic-elis—
7Proto-Indo-European-elis—
8Proto-Indo-European-lósForms agent nouns from verbal roots
Every word from Proto-Indo-European -lós →