Where does “smotherable” come from?
smotherable (English) comes from English able, from Middle English able, from Old French able, from Latin habilis, from Latin -ilis, from Proto-Italic -elis, from Proto-Indo-European -elis, from Proto-Indo-European -lós — Forms agent nouns from verbal roots.
smotherable (English): That may be smothered
Definitions
- That may be smothered
Ancestry of “smotherable”, step by step
smotherable traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English able
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | able | Easy to use; Suitable; competent; Liable to |
| 2 | Middle English | able | capable, expert, qualified, skilful, competent |
| 3 | Old French | able | able; capable |
| 4 | Latin | habilis | able to have/possess/maintain; having sufficient... |
| 5 | Latin | -ilis | -ile |
| 6 | Proto-Italic | -elis | — |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | -elis | — |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | -lós | Forms agent nouns from verbal roots |
via English smother
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | smother | To suffocate; stifle; obstruct, more or less... |
| 2 | Middle English | smother | — |
| 3 | Old English | smorþor | smoke |
| 4 | Old English | -þor | instrumental suffix creating neuter nouns from... |
| 5 | Proto-West Germanic | -þr | Forms nouns denoting a tool or instrument; Forms... |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | -þrą | Forms nouns denoting a tool or instrument |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | *-trom | — |