Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “generalize” come from?

Generalize derives from English general, from Middle English general, from Middle French general, from Latin generalis meaning "of or pertaining to a whole kind or class," formed from Latin generalis suffix -alis and the Proto-Indo-European root ǵenh₁- meaning "to produce or beget."

generalize (English): To speak in generalities, or in vague terms; To...

Definitions

  1. To speak in generalities, or in vague terms; To...

Ancestry of “generalize”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1English-izeUsed to form verbs from nouns or adjectives
2Middle English-isen-ise, -ize
3Middle French-iser-ize
4Latin-izō—
5Ancient Greek-ίζωUsed to form verbs from nouns, adjectives and...
6Proto-Hellenic-íďďō—
7Proto-Indo-European-idyéti—
8Proto-Indo-European-yétiCreates intransitive, often deponent,...
9Proto-Indo-Europeanyé-—
10Chichewaiyehe, she

Words derived from “generalize”

  • generalizability
  • generalizable
  • overgeneralize
  • generalizer
  • nongeneralizable
  • ungeneralizable
  • undergeneralize
  • overgeneralizer
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