Where does “megamammal” come from?

megamammal (English) comes from English mammal, from Latin Mammalia, from Latin mammalis, from Latin mamma, from Latin ferō, from Proto-Italic ferō, from Proto-Indo-European bʰéreti, from Proto-Indo-European bʰēr- — shiny, light brown.

megamammal (English): A very large mammal, especially an extinct one

Definitions

  1. A very large mammal, especially an extinct one

Ancestry of “megamammal”, step by step

megamammal traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English mammal

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishmammalAn animal of the class Mammalia, characterized by...
2LatinMammalia
3LatinmammalisOf or for the breasts
4Latinmammaa breast; an udder; a pap; a teat, a dug
5Latinferōto bear; to carry
6Proto-Italicferōcarry, bear
7Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰéretito be carrying
8Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰēr-shiny, light brown

via English mega

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishmegaVery large; great; excellent
2Ancient Greekμέγαςbig, large; great, mighty, loud; marvelous,...
3Proto-Indo-Europeanmeǵh₂sgreat
Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰēr-Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰéretiEvery word from Proto-Italic ferō