Where does “insta-” come from?

insta- (English) comes from English instant, from Middle English instant, from Old French instant, from Latin īnstāns, from Latin stō, from Proto-Italic staēō, from Proto-Indo-European sth₂éh₁yeti, from Proto-Indo-European *steh₂-.

insta- (English): Instant

Definitions

  1. Instant

Ancestry of “insta-”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishinstantA very short period of time; a moment; A single,...
2Middle Englishinstantinfinitely short period of time
3Old Frenchinstantassiduous, at hand
4Latinīnstānsstanding or pressing upon
5Latinstōto stand
6Proto-Italicstaēōstand
7Proto-Indo-Europeansth₂éh₁yetito stand
8Proto-Indo-European*steh₂-

Words derived from “insta-

Every word from Proto-Indo-European *steh₂-