Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “nonoptimal” come from?

nonoptimal (English) comes from English optimal, from Latin optimum, from Latin optimus, from Latin Ops, from Latin oscen, from Latin opscen, from Latin ob-, from Latin obolus — to throw, reach, pierce; to hit by throwing.

nonoptimal (English): Not optimal

Definitions

  1. Not optimal

Ancestry of “nonoptimal”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishoptimalThe best, most favourable or desirable,...
2Latinoptimumaccusative masculine singular of optimus;...
3Latinoptimusbest; very good
4LatinOpsearth goddess, fertility deity
5Latinoscenany bird by whose song cries augurs divined...
6Latinopscen—
7Latinob-towards; against
8Latinobolusobolus
9Ancient Greekὀβολόςobol, obolus, used at Athens as both a weight and...
10Ancient Greekὀβελόςa spit, rod; a horizontal line
11Ancient Greekβέλοςmissile, arrow, dart; weapon; something quickly...
12Proto-Indo-EuropeangʷélHos—
13Proto-Indo-EuropeangʷelH-to throw, reach, pierce; to hit by throwing
Every word from Proto-Indo-European gʷelH- →