Where does “germ-fear” come from?
germ-fear (English) comes from English germ, from English German, from Latin Germānia, from Latin Germānī, from Latin Germānus, from Latin germen, from Proto-Italic genamen, from Proto-Indo-European ǵénh₁mn̥ — to produce, to beget, to give birth.
germ-fear (English): The fear of germs and other pathogenic...
Definitions
- The fear of germs and other pathogenic...
Ancestry of “germ-fear”, step by step
germ-fear traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English germ
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | germ | The small mass of cells from which a new organism... |
| 2 | English | German | A native or inhabitant of Germany; a person of... |
| 3 | Latin | Germānia | Germany in its various senses, including |
| 4 | Latin | Germānī | Native people or tribes of ancient Germania, mentioned by Julius Caesar and Tacitus |
| 5 | Latin | Germānus | — |
| 6 | Latin | germen | shoot, sprout, bud; germ, seed, origin; embryo,... |
| 7 | Proto-Italic | genamen | — |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | ǵénh₁mn̥ | offspring, seed |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | ǵenh₁- | to produce, to beget, to give birth |
via English fear
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | fear | A strong, uncontrollable, unpleasant emotion or... |
| 2 | Middle English | fere | fear |
| 3 | Old English | fēre | able to go, fit for service |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | fēriz | crossing, able to cross |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | per- | before, in front; first; to go through |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | pr̥tós | passed , crossed |