Where does “split-second” come from?
split-second (English) comes from English second, from Middle French seconder, from Latin secundo, from Latin secundus, from Latin sequor, from Proto-Italic sekʷōr, from Proto-Indo-European sékʷetor, from Proto-Indo-European sekʷ- — to follow; to see; to say.
split-second (English): A stopwatch with two second hand, each of which may be stopped separately to time the intervals of a race by a sportsperson, or to time more than one sportsperson
Definitions
- A stopwatch with two second hand, each of which may be stopped separately to time the intervals of a race by a sportsperson, or to time more than one sportsperson
Ancestry of “split-second”, step by step
split-second traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English second
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | second | Number-two; following after the first one with... |
| 2 | Middle French | seconder | — |
| 3 | Latin | secundo | dative masculine singular of secundus; dative... |
| 4 | Latin | secundus | second, the ordinal number after prīmus and... |
| 5 | Latin | sequor | I follow, come or go after |
| 6 | Proto-Italic | sekʷōr | follow, come/go after |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | sékʷetor | to be following |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | sekʷ- | to follow; to see; to say |
via English Split
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | Split | To divide fully or partly along a more or less straight line |
| 2 | Serbo-Croatian | Splȉt | — |
| 3 | Italian | Spalato | — |
| 4 | Latin | Spalatum | — |
| 5 | Ancient Greek | Σπάλαθος | — |
| 6 | Ancient Greek | Ἀσπάλαθος | name of several types of thornbush |
| 7 | Ancient Greek | ἀσπάλαθος | name of several types of thornbush |