Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “subset” come from?

Subset comes from English set, derived from Old English settan, meaning to place or put, with the prefix sub- indicating placement beneath or under.

subset (English): A set "A" such that every element of "A" is also...

Definitions

  1. A set "A" such that every element of "A" is also...

Ancestry of “subset”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Englishseṭof a root, having a final "i" sound in certain...
2EnglishseptA clan, tribe, or family, proceeding from a...
3EnglishsectAn offshoot of a larger religion; a group sharing...
4Middle EnglishsecteA variety or sort; a category with a...
5Old Frenchsectea sect in philosophy or religion
6Late Latinsectaa sect in philosophy or religion, a school,...
7Latinsequipresent active infinitive of sequor; follow, come...
8LatinsequorI follow, come or go after
9Proto-Italicsekʷōrfollow, come/go after
10Proto-Indo-Europeansékʷetorto be following
11Proto-Indo-Europeansekʷ-to follow; to see; to say

Words derived from “subset”

  • subsetting
  • subsetted
  • multisubset
Every word from Proto-Indo-European sekʷ- →