Where does “semiliterate” come from?

semiliterate (English) comes from English literate, from Middle English litterate, from Latin litteratus, from Latin littera, from Latin lītera, from Old Latin leitera, from Proto-Indo-European h₂leyH-, from Proto-Indo-European leyh₂- — to die, disapear; to avoid, elude, decline,...

semiliterate (English): Not entirely literate; having a limited grasp of...

Definitions

  1. Not entirely literate; having a limited grasp of...

Ancestry of “semiliterate”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishliterateAble to read and write; having literacy;...
2Middle Englishlitterate
3Latinlitteratuslearned, educated, scholarly, literate; cultured,...
4Latinlitteraa letter of the alphabet; handwriting; letter,...
5Latinlītera
6Old Latinleitera
7Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂leyH-to smear
8Proto-Indo-Europeanleyh₂-to die, disapear; to avoid, elude, decline,...
Every word from Proto-Indo-European leyh₂-Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂leyH-Every word from Old Latin leitera
semiliterate — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer