Where does “preliteracy” come from?
preliteracy (English) comes from English literacy, from English literate, from Middle English litterate, from Latin litteratus, from Latin littera, from Latin lītera, from Old Latin leitera, from Proto-Indo-European h₂leyH- — to die, disapear; to avoid, elude, decline,...
preliteracy (English): The period before literacy, when a person or...
Definitions
- The period before literacy, when a person or...
Ancestry of “preliteracy”, step by step
preliteracy traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English literacy
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | literacy | The ability to read and write; Understanding of... |
| 2 | English | literate | Able to read and write; having literacy;... |
| 3 | Middle English | litterate | — |
| 4 | Latin | litteratus | learned, educated, scholarly, literate; cultured,... |
| 5 | Latin | littera | a letter of the alphabet; handwriting; letter,... |
| 6 | Latin | lītera | — |
| 7 | Old Latin | leitera | — |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂leyH- | to smear |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | leyh₂- | to die, disapear; to avoid, elude, decline,... |
via English pre
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | pre | Before; Precum, Cowper's fluid, pre-ejaculate; To... |
| 2 | Latin | prae | before; in front; in front of |
| 3 | Proto-Italic | prai | before; in front of |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | preh₂- | before, in front |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | per- | before, in front; first; to go through |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | pr̥tós | passed , crossed |