Where does “rekindle” come from?
Rekindle comes from Middle English kindlen with the prefix re- from Old French and Latin, ultimately tracing to Proto-Indo-European roots meaning to give birth or turn, expressing the sense of igniting anew.
rekindle (English): To kindle again; To be kindled or ignited again;...
Definitions
- To kindle again; To be kindled or ignited again;...
Ancestry of “rekindle”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | kindle | To start or light; To arouse or inspire; To... |
| 2 | Middle English | kyndel | The offspring or young of an animal |
| 3 | Middle English | kynde | Nature, disposition |
| 4 | Middle English | -nesse | Affixed to adjectives to form abstract nouns... |
| 5 | Old English | -nes | Used to form abstract nouns, usually from... |
| 6 | Proto-West Germanic | -nassī | Used to form abstract nouns, usually from... |
| 7 | Proto-Germanic | -inassuz | -ness |
| 8 | Proto-West Germanic | -ī | -ness, -th |
| 9 | Proto-Germanic | -į̄ | -th |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | -íh₂ | — |
| 11 | Proto-Indo-European | -h₂ | Creates collective nouns, which refer to groups... |