Where does “superman” come from?
Superman derives from English super- combined with man, from Latin super- meaning "over" and Middle English mon, ultimately tracing through Proto-Germanic mann- and Proto-Indo-European men- and ḱóm.
superman (English): An imagined superior type of human being...
Definitions
- An imagined superior type of human being...
Ancestry of “superman”, step by step
superman traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English man
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | man | An adult male human; All human males... |
| 2 | Middle English | man | Typically singular, indefinite pronoun: one, you;... |
| 3 | Old English | mān | bad, criminal, false; shameful act; crime;... |
| 4 | Sanskrit | महादेव | the "great God" |
| 5 | Sanskrit | महा | combining form of महत्; buffalo; great, large,... |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-Aryan | maźʰā́ | — |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-Iranian | maȷ́ʰā́ | big, great |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | méǵh₂s | big, great |
via Italian man
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Italian | man | — |