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
- Able to be foretold; predictable
Ancestry of “foretellable”, step by step
foretellable traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English able
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | able | Easy to use; Suitable; competent; Liable to |
| 2 | Middle English | able | capable, expert, qualified, skilful, competent |
| 3 | Old French | able | able; capable |
| 4 | Latin | habilis | able to have/possess/maintain; having sufficient... |
| 5 | Latin | -ilis | -ile |
| 6 | Proto-Italic | -elis | — |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | -elis | — |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | -lós | Forms agent nouns from verbal roots |
via English foretell
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | foretell | To predict; to tell before it occurs; to... |
| 2 | Middle English | foretellen | — |