Where does “semidesert” come from?

semidesert (English) comes from English desert, from Middle English desert, from Old French desert, from Latin dēsertum, from Latin dēsertus, from Latin dēserō, from Latin dē-, from Latin dē — afterwards, post; by, at.

semidesert (English): A semiarid region, approaching desert

Definitions

  1. A semiarid region, approaching desert

Ancestry of “semidesert”, step by step

semidesert traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.

via English desert

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishdesertThat which is deserved or merited; a just...
2Middle EnglishdesertThe situation of deserving something; That which...
3Old Frenchdesertdesert (desolate terrain)
4Latindēsertuma desert, wasteland
5Latindēsertusdeserted, abandoned, forsaken; having been deserted, etc
6Latindēserōto leave, depart, desert, quit
7Latindē-of; from
8Latinof; concerning; about
9Latinpostbehind; after, since, besides, except; behind,...
10Latinposteablative singular of postis
11Proto-Italicpostibehind, after
12Proto-Indo-Europeanpóstiafter
13Proto-Indo-Europeanpósafterwards, post; by, at

via Romanian deșert

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Romaniandeșertempty, bare, desolate, vacant, deserted; desert,...
2Frenchdessertdessert, pudding; third-person singular present...
3Middle Frenchdessert
4Middle Frenchdesservir
5Middle Frenchservirto serve
6Old Frenchservirto serve
7Latinserviōto be a slave to; to serve
8Latinservusa servant; a serf; a slave
9Proto-Italicserwosguardian
10Proto-Indo-Europeanser-wo-sguardian
11Proto-Indo-Europeanser-to flow; to guard; to bind, to tie together

via English semi

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishsemiA semi-detached house; A semitrailer; a...
2Englishsemi-half; partial, incomplete; somewhat, rather,...
3Latinsēmi-half
4Proto-Indo-Europeansēmihalf; partially
Every word from Proto-Indo-European pós