Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “gestation” come from?

Gestation derives from Latin gestatio, formed from the verb gero meaning "to carry" plus the Latin suffix -tio, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European h₂eǵ- meaning "to drive or lead."

gestation (English): The period of time during which an infant animal...

Definitions

  1. The period of time during which an infant animal...

Ancestry of “gestation”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Latingestatiobearing, carrying, wearing; promenade, ride
2Latin-tiō—
3Latindissertātiō—
4Latindissertusarranged, disposed; explained
5Latindissereresecond-person singular future passive indicative...
6Latindis-asunder, apart, in two; reversal, removal;...
7Latincalceusshoe
8Latincalxlimestone; chalk; the finish line
9Ancient Greekχάλιξsmall stone, pebble; gravel, rubble

Words derived from “gestation”

  • gestational
  • progestational
  • pregestational
  • midgestation
  • gestationally
  • nongestational
  • uterogestation
  • midgestational
  • pregestation
  • multigestation
  • multigestational
Every word from Ancient Greek χάλιξ →