Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “pennal” come from?

pennal (English) comes from German Pennal, from Latin pennale, from Latin penna, from Proto-Italic petnā, from Proto-Indo-European péth₂r̥, from Proto-Indo-European peth₂- — to spread out; to fly.

pennal (English): A freshman at a German university

Definitions

  1. A freshman at a German university

Ancestry of “pennal”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1GermanPennal—
2Latinpennale—
3Latinpennawing; feather, especially a flight-feather;...
4Proto-Italicpetnāfeather; wing
5Proto-Indo-Europeanpéth₂r̥wing; feather
6Proto-Indo-Europeanpeth₂-to spread out; to fly
Every word from Proto-Indo-European peth₂- →