Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “prematurity” come from?

Prematurity comes from English premature, from Latin praematurus, combining Latin prae meaning before with Latin maturus meaning ripe, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European per- and pr̥tós.

prematurity (English): The condition of being premature; Something that...

Definitions

  1. The condition of being premature; Something that...

Ancestry of “prematurity”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Englishprematureoccurring before a state of readiness or maturity...
2EnglishmatureFully developed; grown up in terms of physical...
3Middle Englishmature—
4Middle Frenchmature—
5Latinmātūrus—
6Proto-Celticmatus—
7Czech-mat—
8Czechautomatautomaton; vending machine, automat
9Germanautomat—
10Ancient Greekαὐτόματον—
11Ancient Greekαὐτόματοςself-willed, unbidden; self-moving,...
12Ancient Greekμέμααto wish eagerly, strive, yearn, desire
13Ancient Greekμέμοναto be minded or inclined; to be eager; to hasten
14Proto-Indo-Europeanmemóneto think, to be mindful; to remember
15Proto-Indo-Europeanmen-to think, mind; spiritual activity; to stay,...
Every word from Proto-Indo-European men- →