Where does “ob” come from?
Ob derives from Latin ob-, a prefix of obscure ultimate origin, possibly connected through Latin obolus and Ancient Greek ὀβολός to a root meaning "pointed object" or "spike" in Proto-Indo-European gʷélHos.
ob (English): a halfpenny; an objection; the obese gene
Definitions
- a halfpenny; an objection; the obese gene
Ancestry of “ob”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Latin | ob- | towards; against |
| 2 | Latin | obolus | obolus (Greek coin) |
| 3 | Ancient Greek | ὀβολός | obol, obolus, used at Athens as both a weight and... |
| 4 | Ancient Greek | ὀβελός | a spit, rod; a horizontal line |
| 5 | Ancient Greek | βέλος | missile, arrow, dart; weapon; something quickly... |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | gʷélHos | — |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | gʷelH- | to throw, reach, pierce; to hit by throwing |