Where does “overclassify” come from?

overclassify (English) comes from English classify, from French classifier, from French classe, from Italian classe, from Spanish clase, from Portuguese classe, from German klasse, from Russian класс — to call, cry, summon.

overclassify (English): To classify excessively

Definitions

  1. To classify excessively

Ancestry of “overclassify”, step by step

overclassify traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English classify

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Englishclassifyto identify by or divide into classes; to...
2Frenchclassifierto classify
3Frenchclasseclass, type, group; "Une classe de conscrits"...
4Italianclasseclass; classroom; style
5Spanishclaselecture; class; kind, sort, type
6Portugueseclasseclass, kind; class; elegance; class
7Germanklassegreat, awesome
8Russianклассclass
9Latinclassisany one of the five divisions into which Servius...
10Proto-Italicklāssis
11Proto-Indo-Europeankelh₁-to call, cry, summon

via English over

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishoverDiscontinued; ended or concluded; Thoroughly;...
2Middle Englishoverriverbank, seashore, brink
3Old Englishōferriverbank, seashore, brink, edge, margin, border
4Proto-West Germanicobarover, above
5Proto-Germanicuberover; over, above
6Proto-Indo-Europeanupérabove; over
7Proto-Indo-Europeanupóunder, below
8Proto-Indo-Europeanh₃ewp-
Every word from Proto-Indo-European kelh₁-