Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “petroliferous” come from?

petroliferous (English) comes from English petrol, from French pétrole, from Medieval Latin petroleum, from Latin oleum, from Ancient Greek ἔλαιον, from Ancient Greek ἐλαία, from Proto-Hellenic elaíwā, from Proto-Indo-European loiwom.

petroliferous (English): Containing or yielding petroleum

Definitions

  1. Containing or yielding petroleum

Ancestry of “petroliferous”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishpetrolPetroleum, a fluid consisting of a mixture of...
2Frenchpétrolepetroleum; oil; hydrocarbon
3Medieval Latinpetroleum—
4Latinoleumolive oil; the palaestra
5Ancient Greekἔλαιονolive oil, commonly used as an anointing oil; any...
6Ancient Greekἐλαίαolive tree; olive; naevus
7Proto-Hellenicelaíwā—
8Proto-Indo-Europeanloiwom—
Every word from Proto-Indo-European loiwom →