Where does “multi-” come from?

multi- (English) comes from English multi, from English multituberculate, from English tuberculate, from Latin tuberculatus, from Latin tūberculum, from Latin tūber, from Proto-Italic tūβos, from Proto-Indo-European tewh₂- — to swell; to crowd; to be strong.

multi- (English): More than one; pertaining to more than one thing;...

Definitions

  1. More than one; pertaining to more than one thing;...

Ancestry of “multi-”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishmultiA multituberculate; Neolamprologus multifasciatus
2EnglishmultituberculateHaving molars with multiple rows of cusps; Any of...
3EnglishtuberculateHaving tubercles; Tubercular
4Latintuberculatuswarty, tuberculate
5Latintūberculuma small swelling, bump, or protuberance; a boil, pimple, tubercle
6Latintūbera hump, bump, swelling, protuberance; excrescence
7Proto-Italictūβos
8Proto-Indo-Europeantewh₂-to swell; to crowd; to be strong

Words derived from “multi-

Every word from Proto-Indo-European tewh₂-
multi- — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer