Where does “primeval” come from?
Primeval comes from English primevous, which derives from German Aldehyd, though the semantic connection remains unclear.
primeval (English): belonging to the first ages; primary; original;...
Definitions
- belonging to the first ages; primary; original;...
Ancestry of “primeval”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Latin | primaevus | in the first or earliest period of life |
| 2 | Latin | aevum | time as a single, unified, continuous and... |
| 3 | Latin | aevom | Archaic form of aevum |
| 4 | Old Latin | aivom | time, lifetime; age |
| 5 | Proto-Italic | aiwom | age |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂eyu- | vitality; eternal; vital force, life, long life,... |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂ey- | vital force, life, age, eternity; day, morning |