Where does “subdefinition” come from?

subdefinition (English) comes from English definition, from Middle English diffinicioun, from Middle French definition, from Latin dēfīnītiō, from Latin dēfīniō, from Latin dē-, from Latin dē, from Latin post — afterwards, post; by, at.

subdefinition (English): A lesser or secondary definition

Definitions

  1. A lesser or secondary definition

Ancestry of “subdefinition”, step by step

subdefinition traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English definition

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishdefinitionA statement of the meaning of a word or word...
2Middle Englishdiffinicioun
3Middle Frenchdefinitiondefinition
4Latindēfīnītiōdefinition; precise description
5Latindēfīniōto bound, set bounds to; to limit
6Latindē-of; from
7Latinof; concerning; about
8Latinpostbehind; after, since, besides, except; behind,...
9Latinposteablative singular of postis
10Proto-Italicpostibehind, after
11Proto-Indo-Europeanpóstiafter
12Proto-Indo-Europeanpósafterwards, post; by, at

via English sub

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishsubA submarine; A submarine sandwich: a sandwich...
2EnglishsubstituteTo use in place of something else, with the same...
3Middle Englishsubstituten
4Latinsubstitutussubstituted
5LatinsubstituoI place next to, under, or instead of; I...
6LatinstatuoI set up, station; I establish, determine, fix; I...
7Latinstātusfixed, set, having been set
8Latinstōto stand
9Proto-Italicstaēōstand
10Proto-Indo-Europeansth₂éh₁yetito stand
11Proto-Indo-European*steh₂-
Every word from Proto-Indo-European pós
subdefinition — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer