Where does “polydactylous” come from?
polydactylous (English) comes from English polydactyl, from Ancient Greek πολυδάκτυλος, from Ancient Greek δάκτυλος, from Hebrew דקל, from German Dackel, from German Dachshund, from German Dachs, from Old High German dahs — to sire, beget.
polydactylous (English): Having more than the normal number of digits
Definitions
- Having more than the normal number of digits
Ancestry of “polydactylous”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | English | polydactyl | Polydactylous; A polydactylous animal |
| 2 | Ancient Greek | πολυδάκτυλος | having many toes |
| 3 | Ancient Greek | δάκτυλος | finger; measure of length, the breadth of a... |
| 4 | Hebrew | דקל | palm tree; date; dachshund |
| 5 | German | Dackel | dachshund; a similar-looking dog, e.g. a basset... |
| 6 | German | Dachshund | dachshund; a similar-looking dog, e.g. a basset... |
| 7 | German | Dachs | badger; genitive singular of Dach |
| 8 | Old High German | dahs | — |
| 9 | Proto-West Germanic | þahs | badger |
| 10 | Proto-Germanic | þahsuz | badger |
| 11 | Proto-Indo-European | tótḱus | — |
| 12 | Proto-Indo-European | tetḱ- | to create, produce; to cut, hew |
| 13 | Proto-Indo-European | teḱ- | to sire, beget |