Where does “spermaceti” come from?
Spermaceti derives from Late Latin sperma, from Ancient Greek σπέρμα meaning seed, from Proto-Indo-European spérmn̥, a derivative of the root sper-.
spermaceti (English): A wax obtained from the head of sperm whales and...
Definitions
- A wax obtained from the head of sperm whales and...
Ancestry of “spermaceti”, step by step
spermaceti traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.
via Latin sperma
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Latin | sperma | seed, semen, sperm |
| 2 | Ancient Greek | σπέρμα | seed; semen, sperm; seed-time, sowing |
| 3 | Proto-Hellenic | *spérmə | — |
via Latin ceti
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Latin | ceti | nominative plural of cētus; genitive singular of... |
| 2 | Latin | cetus | Any large sea-animal, such as a whale, shark,... |
| 3 | Ancient Greek | κῆτος | whale, sea monster; abyss |
via Latin cētus
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Latin | cētus | Any large sea-animal, such as a whale, shark, seal, dogfish, dolphin, or tuna, or a sea monster |