Where does “motorbicycle” come from?
motorbicycle (English) comes from English bicycle, from French bicycle, from French bi-, from Latin bis, from Latin color, from Ancient Greek μέτρον, from Ancient Greek -τρον, from Proto-Hellenic -tron — Derives agent nouns from verbs, denoting someone...
motorbicycle (English): motorcycle
Definitions
- motorcycle
Ancestry of “motorbicycle”, step by step
motorbicycle traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English bicycle
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | bicycle | A vehicle that has two wheels, one behind the... |
| 2 | French | bicycle | bicycle |
| 3 | French | bi- | bi |
| 4 | Latin | bis | twice, two times, on two occasions, in two ways |
| 5 | Latin | color | colour, shade; color; pigment; complexion |
| 6 | Ancient Greek | μέτρον | something used to measure: measure, rule, weight;... |
| 7 | Ancient Greek | -τρον | Forms instrument nouns |
| 8 | Proto-Hellenic | -tron | Forms instrument nouns from verb stems |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | -trom | Forms nouns denoting a tool or instrument |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | -tḗr | Derives agent nouns from verbs, denoting someone... |
via English motor
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | motor | A machine or device that converts other energy... |
| 2 | Middle English | motour | — |
| 3 | Latin | motor | mover; that which moves something; first-person... |
| 4 | Latin | -tor | -er |
| 5 | Proto-Italic | -tōr | Forms agent nouns to verb stems |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | -tōr | Derives agent nouns from verbs, denoting someone... |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | -tor-s | — |