Where does “semipermeable” come from?
Semipermeable is derived from English semi- plus permeable, which comes from Middle French perméable, Latin permeabilis, and ultimately Proto-Indo-European roots meaning to go or pass through.
semipermeable (English): Permeable to some things and not to others, as a...
Definitions
- Permeable to some things and not to others, as a...
Ancestry of “semipermeable”, step by step
semipermeable traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English permeable
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | permeable | that absorbs or allows the passage of fluids |
| 2 | Middle French | perméable | — |
| 3 | Latin | permeabilis | passable; permeable |
| 4 | Latin | -bilis | -ble |
| 5 | Proto-Italic | -ðlis | Forms adjectives from verb stems indicating capacity or worth of being acted on |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | -dʰlis | — |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | -dʰlom | Alternative form of *-trom; instrumental suffix;... |
via Spanish permeable
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Spanish | permeable | permeable |