Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “lacerate” come from?

lacerate (English) comes from Middle English laceraten, from Latin laceratus, from Latin lacero, from Latin lacer, from Proto-Indo-European *leh₂k-.

lacerate (English): To tear, rip or wound; To defeat thoroughly; to...

Definitions

  1. To tear, rip or wound; To defeat thoroughly; to...

Ancestry of “lacerate”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishlaceraten—
2Latinlaceratuslacerated, mutilated, having been torn to pieces
3LatinlaceroI rend, tear to pieces; I mutilate, lacerate; I...
4Latinlacerlacerated, mangled, torn to pieces
5Proto-Indo-European*leh₂k-—

Words derived from “lacerate”

  • lacerating
  • laceratingly
  • lacerative
  • lacerater
Every word from Proto-Indo-European *leh₂k- →