Where does “semiarid” come from?
Semiarid comes from English semi- combined with arid, from Latin semi- meaning half, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European sēmi and sem- related to the root h₂eHs- meaning dry.
semiarid (English): Somewhat arid, receiving little rainfall but more...
Definitions
- Somewhat arid, receiving little rainfall but more...
Ancestry of “semiarid”, step by step
semiarid traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.
via English arid
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | arid | Very dry; Describing a very dry climate.... |
| 2 | French | aride | arid |
| 3 | Latin | āridus | dry, parched, withered, arid |
| 4 | Latin | āreō | to be dry or parched |
| 5 | Proto-Italic | āzēō | I am dry |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂eHseh₁(ye)- | — |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂eHs- | to be/become dry; to burn, to glow; hearth |
via Catalan àrid
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Catalan | àrid | arid |
via Romanian arid
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Romanian | arid | barren |