Where does “intervarsity” come from?

intervarsity (English) comes from English varsity, from English University, from Middle English universite, from Anglo-Norman université, from Old French universitei, from Medieval Latin universitas, from Latin ūniversitās, from Latin ūniversus — to burn; to cover, heed, notice; squirrel.

intervarsity (English): taking place between universities; A competition...

Definitions

  1. taking place between universities; A competition...

Ancestry of “intervarsity”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Englishvarsityuniversity; The principal sports team...
2EnglishUniversityAn institution of higher education that provides facilities for teaching, research, and the conferral of academic degrees across undergraduate, graduate, and often professional levels
3Middle EnglishuniversiteA university or college; The totality of students...
4Anglo-Normanuniversitéuniversity
5Old Frenchuniversiteiuniversity
6Medieval Latinuniversitasgroup of teachers and students; university;...
7Latinūniversitāsthe whole
8Latinūniversuswhole, entire, taken collectively or altogether
9Latinversusturned, changed, having been turned; towards,...
10Latinvertōto turn, turn oneself, direct one's way, to turn about, turn around, revolve
11Proto-Italicwertōto turn
12Proto-Indo-Europeanwert-to turn, to rotate
13Proto-Indo-Europeanwer-to burn; to cover, heed, notice; squirrel
Every word from Proto-Indo-European wer-