Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “protuberance” come from?

Protuberance comes from French protubérance, from Latin protuberantia, combining Latin pro- with a root from Proto-Indo-European bʰuH- meaning to swell.

protuberance (English): A bulge, knob, swelling, spine or anything that...

Definitions

  1. A bulge, knob, swelling, spine or anything that...

Ancestry of “protuberance”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Frenchprotubérancelump, protuberance
2Latinprōtubērantia—
3Latinprotuberans
4LatinprotuberoI swell or bulge out
5Latintūber—
6Proto-Italictūβos—
7Proto-Indo-Europeantewh₂-to swell; to crowd; to be strong
Every word from Proto-Indo-European tewh₂- →