Where does “nonlethal” come from?
Nonlethal combines the prefix non- with lethal, which derives from Latin lethalis, the adjectival form of lethal meaning death-dealing.
nonlethal (English): Alternative spelling of non-lethal
Definitions
- Alternative spelling of non-lethal
Ancestry of “nonlethal”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | non- | Used in the sense of no or none, to show lack of... |
| 2 | Latin | nōnus | ninth |
| 3 | Latin | novenos | accusative masculine plural of novēnus |
| 4 | Latin | novem | nine; 9; first-person singular present active... |
| 5 | Latin | novo | I make new, renew, refresh; I alter, change;... |
| 6 | Proto-Italic | nowāō | — |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | néweh₂ti | to renew |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | néwos | new |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | new- | new; to nod, assent to |