Where does “incubus” come from?
Incubus comes from Late Latin incubus, from Latin incubo meaning to lie upon, composed of Latin in- and in.
incubus (English): An evil spirit supposed to oppress people while...
Definitions
- An evil spirit supposed to oppress people while...
Ancestry of “incubus”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Late Latin | incubus | the nightmare, incubus |
| 2 | Latin | incubō | to lie, sit, or settle in, on or upon; recline |
| 3 | Latin | cubō | to lie down, recline |
| 4 | Proto-Italic | kubāō | to lie down |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | ḱewb- | briar, thorn |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | ḱew- | skin, colour of the skin; to shine; bright; to... |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | gʷṓws | cattle |