Where does “seminal” come from?
Seminal derives from Middle English seminal, from Old French seminal, from Latin seminalis, formed with the Latin suffix -alis from Latin semen meaning seed, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European seh₁- meaning to sow or plant.
seminal (English): Of or relating to seed or semen; Creative or...
Definitions
- Of or relating to seed or semen; Creative or...
Ancestry of “seminal”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle English | seminal | — |
| 2 | Old French | seminal | — |
| 3 | Latin | seminalis | seed; seminal |
| 4 | Latin | sēmen | — |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | séh₁mn̥ | seed |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | seh₁- | to impress, insert; to sow, to plant; long,... |
Words derived from “seminal”