Where does “subliminally” come from?
Subliminally derives from English subliminal, combining English liminal with Latin sub and Latin -alis, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European upo and līg-.
subliminally (English): In a subliminal manner
Ancestry of “subliminally”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | English | subliminal | Below the threshold of conscious perception,... |
| 2 | German | unterschwellig | subliminal |
| 3 | German | Unter | jack, knave |
| 4 | Middle High German | under | — |
| 5 | Old High German | untar | under |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | under | among, between; under, beneath; under |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | h₁entér | between |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | h₁en | in; in, inside |