Where does “inflate” come from?
Inflate comes from Latin inflatus, the past participle of inflo meaning to blow into, from in- plus a verb root descended from Proto-Indo-European bʰel- meaning to swell or blow.
inflate (English): To enlarge an object by pushing air into it; to...
Definitions
- To enlarge an object by pushing air into it; to...
Ancestry of “inflate”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Latin | īnflātus | inflated, having been blown into |
| 2 | Latin | īnflō | to inflate; to blow into |
| 3 | Latin | flō | to breathe, blow |
| 4 | Proto-Italic | flāō | — |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰleh₁- | to bleat; to cry; to blow |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰel- | to sound; to speak, roar, bark; shiny, white; to... |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰōl- | — |