Where does “inestimable” come from?
Inestimable derives from Middle French inestimable, from Latin inaestimabilis, combining Latin in- and -bilis (the latter from Proto-Italic en and Proto-Indo-European h₁én, with the suffix -dʰlom).
inestimable (English): Not able to be estimated; not able to be...
Definitions
- Not able to be estimated; not able to be...
Ancestry of “inestimable”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle French | inestimable | priceless, invaluable; inestimable |
| 2 | Latin | inaestimābilis | that cannot be estimated or judged |
| 3 | Latin | aestimabilis | estimable, valuable, worthy of appraisement |
| 4 | Latin | -bilis | -ble |
| 5 | Proto-Italic | -ðlis | Forms adjectives from verb stems indicating capacity or worth of being acted on |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | -dʰlis | — |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | -dʰlom | Alternative form of *-trom; instrumental suffix;... |