Where does “pentadactylism” come from?

pentadactylism (English) comes from English pentadactyl, from English dactyl, from Latin dactylus, from Ancient Greek δάκτυλος, from Hebrew דקל, from German Dackel, from German Dachshund, from German Dachs — to sire, beget.

pentadactylism (English): pentadactyly

Definitions

  1. pentadactyly

Ancestry of “pentadactylism”, step by step

pentadactylism traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English pentadactyl

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishpentadactylHaving five digits on a limb
2EnglishdactylA metrical foot of three syllables (— ⏑ ⏑), one long followed by two short, or one accented followed by two unaccented
3Latindactylusa sort of muscle; a kind of grape; a sort of...
4Ancient Greekδάκτυλοςfinger; measure of length, the breadth of a...
5Hebrewדקלpalm tree; date; dachshund
6GermanDackeldachshund; a similar-looking dog, e.g. a basset...
7GermanDachshunddachshund; a similar-looking dog, e.g. a basset...
8GermanDachsbadger; genitive singular of Dach
9Old High Germandahs
10Proto-West Germanicþahsbadger
11Proto-Germanicþahsuzbadger
12Proto-Indo-Europeantótḱus
13Proto-Indo-Europeantetḱ-to create, produce; to cut, hew
14Proto-Indo-Europeanteḱ-to sire, beget

via English ism

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishismAn ideology, system of thought, or practice that...
2English-ismUsed to form nouns of action or process or result...
3Latin-ismus-ism
4Ancient Greek-ισμόςForms abstract nouns
5Ancient Greek-μόςForms abstract nouns
6Proto-Indo-European-mósCreates action/result nouns from verb stems
Every word from Proto-Indo-European teḱ-Every word from Proto-Indo-European tetḱ-Every word from Proto-Indo-European tótḱus