Where does “rebuttable” come from?
Rebuttable derives from Middle English -able, from Old French -able, from Latin -abilis, from Latin -i-, a suffix forming adjectives meaning "capable of being."
rebuttable (English): Capable of being rebutted
Definitions
- Capable of being rebutted
Ancestry of “rebuttable”, step by step
rebuttable traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English rebut
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | rebut | To drive back or beat back; to repulse; To deny... |
| 2 | Old French | reboter | to push back |
| 3 | Old French | re- | re- again; once more |
| 4 | Latin | rĕ- | back, backwards |
| 5 | Latin | prōdūcō | to lead or bring forth, forward or out |
| 6 | Latin | prō- | forward direction, forward movement |
| 7 | Proto-Italic | *pro- | pro- see the Latin entry for further meanings |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | pro- | toward, forward |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | por- | to give birth; forward, through; going, passage |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | per- | before, in front; first; to go through |
| 11 | Proto-Indo-European | pr̥tós | passed , crossed |
via English able
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | able | Easy to use; Suitable; competent; Liable to |
| 2 | Middle English | able | capable, expert, qualified, skilful, competent |
| 3 | Old French | able | able; capable |
| 4 | Latin | habilis | able to have/possess/maintain; having sufficient... |
| 5 | Latin | -ilis | -ile |
| 6 | Proto-Italic | -elis | — |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | -elis | — |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | -lós | Forms agent nouns from verbal roots |