Where does “momentum” come from?
Momentum comes from Latin momentum, derived from the verb moveo meaning to move, with the suffix -mentum, ultimately from the Proto-Indo-European root mew- meaning to move.
momentum (English): Of a body in motion: the tendency of a body to...
Definitions
- Of a body in motion: the tendency of a body to...
Ancestry of “momentum”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Latin | mōmentum | movement, motion, impulse; course |
| 2 | Latin | mōvimentum | movement |
| 3 | Latin | -mentum | instrument, medium, or result of; e.g.... |
| 4 | Latin | -menta | nominative plural of -mentum; accusative plural... |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | -mn̥ | Creates action nouns or result nouns from verbs |