Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “premortal” come from?

premortal (English) comes from English mortal, from Middle English mortal, from Old French mortal, from Latin mortālis, from Latin mors, from Proto-Italic mortis, from Proto-Indo-European mértis, from Proto-Indo-European mer- — to die; to disappear; sea, lake, wetland.

premortal (English): Before the start of life

Definitions

  1. Before the start of life

Ancestry of “premortal”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishmortalSusceptible to death by aging, sickness, injury,...
2Middle Englishmortal—
3Old Frenchmortal—
4Latinmortālis—
5Latinmorsdeath; corpse; annihilation
6Proto-Italicmortisdeath
7Proto-Indo-Europeanmértisdeath
8Proto-Indo-Europeanmer-to die; to disappear; sea, lake, wetland
Every word from Proto-Indo-European mer- →