Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “polyacanthous” come from?

polyacanthous (English) comes from English acanthous, from English acanth-, from Ancient Greek ἄκανθος, from Ancient Greek ἄκανθα, from Ancient Greek ἄνθος, from Proto-Hellenic ántʰos, from Proto-Indo-European h₂éndʰos, from Proto-Indo-European -os — Creates action nouns or result nouns from verbs;...

polyacanthous (English): Having many thorns

Definitions

  1. Having many thorns

Ancestry of “polyacanthous”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishacanthousSpinous
2Englishacanth-with thorns
3Ancient GreekἄκανθοςThe acanthus plant
4Ancient GreekἄκανθαA thorny plant; A thorn, spine, or prickle;...
5Ancient Greekἄνθοςflower, blossom, bloom; froth, scum; bloom, peak
6Proto-Hellenicántʰosflower, blossom
7Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂éndʰosbloom
8Proto-Indo-European-osCreates action nouns or result nouns from verbs;...
Every word from Proto-Indo-European -os →