Where does “nanoscale” come from?

Nanoscale combines the prefix nano- from Latin nanus meaning "dwarf" with scale from Latin scala meaning "ladder," ultimately derived from Proto-Indo-European (s)kel- meaning "to cut or separate."

nanoscale (English): On a scale measured in nanometers; A measuring...

Definitions

  1. On a scale measured in nanometers; A measuring...

Ancestry of “nanoscale”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishscaleA ladder; a series of steps; a means of...
2Middle Englishscaleflake
3Latinscālaladder
4Latinscanderethird-person plural perfect active indicative of...
5Latinscandōto climb, ascend, mount
6Proto-Indo-Europeansḱend-to jump up, ascend

Words derived from “nanoscale”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European sḱend- →Every word from Latin scandō →Every word from Latin scandere →