Where does “lubricate” come from?
Lubricate comes from Latin lubricatus, the past participle of lubrico, derived from the adjective lubricus meaning slippery, which traces back through Proto-Italic slouβrikos to Proto-Indo-European slewbʰ-.
lubricate (English): To make slippery or smooth by applying a...
Definitions
- To make slippery or smooth by applying a...
Ancestry of “lubricate”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Latin | lubricatus | lubricated; having been made slippery |
| 2 | Latin | lubrico | I make slippery; I lubricate, oil, grease |
| 3 | Latin | lubricus | slippery, slimy; fleeting; inconstant |
| 4 | Proto-Italic | slouβrikos | — |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | slewbʰ- | slip, slide |