Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “subdirectory” come from?

Subdirectory derives from English directory with the prefix sub from Latin sub, from Proto-Italic supo, from Proto-Indo-European upo, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European h₃ewp-.

subdirectory (English): A directory located inside another directory

Definitions

  1. A directory located inside another directory

Ancestry of “subdirectory”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Englishsub-under, beneath; subsidiary, secondary; almost,...
2Latinsub-sub-
3Proto-Indo-Europeanupóunder, below
4Proto-Indo-Europeanh₃ewp-—
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₃ewp- →