Where does “nonobtainable” come from?
nonobtainable (English) comes from English obtainable, from English obtain, from Middle English obteinen, from Middle French obtenir, from Old French obtenir, from Latin obtineo, from Latin ob-, from Latin obolus — to throw, reach, pierce; to hit by throwing.
nonobtainable (English): unobtainable
Ancestry of “nonobtainable”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | English | obtainable | Able to be obtained |
| 2 | English | obtain | To get hold of; to gain possession of, to... |
| 3 | Middle English | obteinen | — |
| 4 | Middle French | obtenir | to obtain |
| 5 | Old French | obtenir | to obtain |
| 6 | Latin | obtineo | I have, occupy, possess, hold; I preserve, keep,... |
| 7 | Latin | ob- | towards; against |
| 8 | Latin | obolus | obolus |
| 9 | Ancient Greek | ὀβολός | obol, obolus, used at Athens as both a weight and... |
| 10 | Ancient Greek | ὀβελός | a spit, rod; a horizontal line |
| 11 | Ancient Greek | βέλος | missile, arrow, dart; weapon; something quickly... |
| 12 | Proto-Indo-European | gʷélHos | — |
| 13 | Proto-Indo-European | gʷelH- | to throw, reach, pierce; to hit by throwing |