Where does “irreducible” come from?
Irreducible comes from English reduce, Latin reducibilis (capable of being led back), combining Latin re- (back) and duco (to lead), which derives from Proto-Indo-European oyd- (to go) and en (in).
irreducible (English): Not able to be reduced or lessened; Not able to...
Definitions
- Not able to be reduced or lessened; Not able to...
Ancestry of “irreducible”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | reducible | Capable of being reduced; Able to be factored... |
| 2 | English | reduce | To bring down the size, quantity, quality, value... |
| 3 | Old French | reducer | — |
| 4 | Latin | reduco | I lead, draw, bring or conduct back; bring or... |
| 5 | English | re- | again, anew; a completive or intensification of... |
| 6 | Middle English | re- | — |
| 7 | Old French | re- | re- again; once more |
| 8 | Latin | rĕ- | back, backwards |
| 9 | Latin | prōdūcō | to lead or bring forth, forward or out |
| 10 | Latin | prō- | forward direction, forward movement |
| 11 | Proto-Italic | *pro- | pro- see the Latin entry for further meanings |
| 12 | Proto-Indo-European | pro- | toward, forward |
| 13 | Proto-Indo-European | por- | to give birth; forward, through; going, passage |
| 14 | Proto-Indo-European | per- | before, in front; first; to go through |
| 15 | Proto-Indo-European | pr̥tós | passed , crossed |