Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “multivalent” come from?

Multivalent comes from English multi- combined with Latin valent, ultimately deriving from Proto-Indo-European mel- meaning to crush or grind.

multivalent (English): Having more than one valency or having a valency...

Definitions

  1. Having more than one valency or having a valency...

Ancestry of “multivalent”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Englishmulti-More than one; pertaining to more than one thing;...
2EnglishmultiA multituberculate; Neolamprologus multifasciatus
3EnglishmultituberculateHaving molars with multiple rows of cusps; Any of...
4EnglishtuberculateHaving tubercles; Tubercular
5Latintuberculatuswarty, tuberculate
6Latintūberculum—
7Latintūber—
8Proto-Italictūβos—
9Proto-Indo-Europeantewh₂-to swell; to crowd; to be strong

Words derived from “multivalent”

  • multivalently
Every word from Proto-Indo-European tewh₂- →