Where does “protomodular” come from?

protomodular (English) comes from English modular, from English module, from French module, from Latin modulus, from Latin -ulus, from Proto-Italic -olos, from Proto-Italic -elos, from Proto-Indo-European -e-lós — Forms agent nouns from verbal roots.

Definitions

Ancestry of “protomodular”, step by step

protomodular traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English modular

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishmodularConsisting of separate modules; especially where...
2EnglishmoduleA self-contained component of a system, often...
3Frenchmodulemodule
4Latinmodulusa small measure or interval; a module; a water...
5Latin-ulusUsed to form a diminutive of a noun, indicating...
6Proto-Italic-olos
7Proto-Italic-elosForms desubstantival and deadjectival diminutive nouns
8Proto-Indo-European-e-lós
9Proto-Indo-European-lósForms agent nouns from verbal roots

via English proto

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishprotoPrototypical; preceding the proper beginning of...
2Englishproto-first; most recent common ancestor of; Relating...
3Ancient Greekπρωτο-first, primary
4Ancient Greekπρῶτοςfirst; earliest; foremost, most prominent
5Ancient Greekπρόbefore; before, in front, forth, forward; before,...
6Proto-Indo-Europeanprótoward, leading to
7Proto-Indo-Europeanper-before, in front; first; to go through
8Proto-Indo-Europeanpr̥tóspassed , crossed
Every word from Proto-Indo-European -lósEvery word from Latin -ulusEvery word from Latin modulus