Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “intertidal” come from?

Intertidal comes from English tidal, which derives from English tide, ultimately tracing through Latin volvere and volvō to Proto-Indo-European roots wel-, dī-, and deh₂- meaning to turn and to divide.

intertidal (English): Pertaining to the part of a shore between the...

Definitions

  1. Pertaining to the part of a shore between the...

Ancestry of “intertidal”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Englishtidalrelating to tides
2EnglishtideThe periodic change of the sea level,...
3Middle Englishtyde—
4Old Englishtīdtime, period, season; period, season, time;...
5Proto-Germanictīdiztime; period, interval
6Proto-Indo-Europeandéh₂itisinterval, period of time
7Proto-Indo-Europeandeh₂y-to share, divide
8Proto-Indo-Europeandeh₂-to share, divide

Words derived from “intertidal”

  • intertidally
Every word from Proto-Indo-European deh₂- →