Where does “preliterary” come from?
preliterary (English) comes from English literary, from French littéraire, from Latin litterarius, from Latin littera, from Latin lītera, from Old Latin leitera, from Proto-Indo-European h₂leyH-, from Proto-Indo-European leyh₂- — to die, disapear; to avoid, elude, decline,...
preliterary (English): Before the development of literature
Definitions
- Before the development of literature
Ancestry of “preliterary”, step by step
preliterary traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English literary
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | literary | Relating to literature; Relating to writers, or... |
| 2 | French | littéraire | literary |
| 3 | Latin | litterarius | literary: Of or about literature or writing |
| 4 | Latin | littera | a letter of the alphabet; handwriting; letter,... |
| 5 | Latin | lītera | — |
| 6 | Old Latin | leitera | — |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂leyH- | to smear |
| 8 | 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 |