Where does “humblebee” come from?
humblebee (English) comes from Middle English humbul-be, from Middle English humble, from Old French humble, from Latin humilis, from Latin -ilis, from Proto-Italic -elis, from Proto-Indo-European -elis, from Proto-Indo-European -lós — Forms agent nouns from verbal roots.
humblebee (English): A bumblebee
Definitions
- A bumblebee
Ancestry of “humblebee”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | humbul-be | bumblebee |
| 2 | Middle English | humble | — |
| 3 | Old French | humble | Alternative form of umble |
| 4 | Latin | humilis | low, lowly, small, slight; shallow; base, mean,... |
| 5 | Latin | -ilis | -ile |
| 6 | Proto-Italic | -elis | — |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | -elis | — |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | -lós | Forms agent nouns from verbal roots |