Where does “subdominant” come from?
Subdominant comes from English sub- combined with dominant, which derives from Latin dominans, itself from Latin domināri meaning "to rule," ultimately from Proto-Indo-European h₃ewp-.
subdominant (English): The fourth tone of a scale; The triad built on...
Definitions
- The fourth tone of a scale; The triad built on...
Ancestry of “subdominant”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | English | sub- | under, beneath; subsidiary, secondary; almost,... |
| 2 | Latin | sub- | sub- |
| 3 | Proto-Indo-European | upó | under, below |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | h₃ewp- | — |