Where does “insignificant” come from?
Insignificant derives from Latin insignificans, formed from in- "not" and significare "to signify," itself from facio "to make" and the Proto-Indo-European root dʰeh₁- "to put or place."
insignificant (English): Not significant; not important, inconsequential,...
Definitions
- Not significant; not important, inconsequential,...
Ancestry of “insignificant”, step by step
insignificant traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.
via Dutch significant
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dutch | significant | significant |
| 2 | Latin | significans | showing, expressing, signifying, pointing out;... |
| 3 | Latin | significāre | — |
| 4 | Latin | signum | visible indication: sign, mark, signal; seal,... |
| 5 | Proto-Italic | seknom | sign |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | sek- | to cut, cut off, sever |
via English significant
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | significant | Signifying something; carrying meaning; Having a... |
via Italian insignificante
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Italian | insignificante | insignificant; trifling; trivial |