Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “intermezzo” come from?

intermezzo (English) comes from Italian intermezzo, from Italian mezzo, from Latin medius, from Latin locus, from Old Latin stlocus, from Proto-Italic stlokos, from Proto-Indo-European stel- — to put, to place; to locate.

intermezzo (English): A short piece of music or act in the interval of...

Definitions

  1. A short piece of music or act in the interval of...

Ancestry of “intermezzo”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Italianintermezzointermezzo; interval, break; first-person...
2Italianmezzohalf, middle; means, method; vehicle
3Latinmediusmiddle; half; moderate
4Latinlocusplace, spot; a passage of literature; "in the...
5Old Latinstlocus—
6Proto-Italicstlokos—
7Proto-Indo-Europeanstel-to put, to place; to locate
Every word from Proto-Indo-European stel- →