Where does “megavertebrate” come from?

megavertebrate (English) comes from English vertebrate, from French vertèbre, from Latin vertebra, from Latin vertō, from Proto-Italic wertō, from Proto-Indo-European wert-, from Proto-Indo-European wer- — to burn; to cover, heed, notice; squirrel.

megavertebrate (English): An especially large vertebrate

Definitions

  1. An especially large vertebrate

Ancestry of “megavertebrate”, step by step

megavertebrate traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English vertebrate

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishvertebrateHaving a backbone; An animal having a backbone
2Frenchvertèbrevertebra
3Latinvertebrajoint; vertebra
4Latinvertōto turn, turn oneself, direct one's way, to turn about, turn around, revolve
5Proto-Italicwertōto turn
6Proto-Indo-Europeanwert-to turn, to rotate
7Proto-Indo-Europeanwer-to burn; to cover, heed, notice; squirrel

via English mega

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishmegaVery large; great; excellent
2Ancient Greekμέγαςbig, large; great, mighty, loud; marvelous,...
3Proto-Indo-Europeanmeǵh₂sgreat
Every word from Proto-Indo-European wer-
megavertebrate — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer