Where does “reflexivity” come from?
Reflexivity derives from French -ité and Latin -itas, ultimately tracing through Latin reflectere, combining re- and a root from Proto-Indo-European wer- meaning to turn or bend.
reflexivity (English): The condition or state of being reflexive
Definitions
- The condition or state of being reflexive
Ancestry of “reflexivity”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | reflexive | Referring back to the subject, or having an... |
| 2 | Medieval Latin | reflexivus | reflexive |
| 3 | Latin | reflexus | turned back or away, reflected |
| 4 | Latin | reflectō | to turn back or away; yield; retreat |
| 5 | Latin | rĕ- | back, backwards |
| 6 | Latin | prōdūcō | to lead or bring forth, forward or out |
| 7 | Latin | prō- | forward direction, forward movement |
| 8 | Proto-Italic | *pro- | pro- see the Latin entry for further meanings |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | pro- | toward, forward |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | por- | to give birth; forward, through; going, passage |
| 11 | Proto-Indo-European | per- | before, in front; first; to go through |
| 12 | Proto-Indo-European | pr̥tós | passed , crossed |