Where does “multivibrator” come from?
Multivibrator is a 20th-century English compound of multi- from Latin multus meaning "many" and vibrator from Latin vibro meaning "to shake," ultimately from Proto-Indo-European weib-.
multivibrator (English): An electronic circuit used to implement a variety...
Definitions
- An electronic circuit used to implement a variety...
Ancestry of “multivibrator”, step by step
multivibrator traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English vibrator
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | vibrator | A device that vibrates or causes vibration |
| 2 | New Latin | vibrator | second-person singular future passive imperative... |
| 3 | Latin | vibrō | to shake, agitate, brandish |
| 4 | Proto-Italic | wibros | — |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | weyb- | to oscillate; swing; rotate, move |
via French multivibrateur
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | French | multivibrateur | — |