Where does “superphosphate” come from?
Superphosphate comes from English super- plus phosphate, from Latin phosphorus, from Ancient Greek φωσφόρος meaning "light-bringing," from φέρω meaning "to carry" and ultimately Proto-Indo-European bʰer-.
superphosphate (English): A fertilizer produced by the action of...
Definitions
- A fertilizer produced by the action of...
Ancestry of “superphosphate”, step by step
superphosphate traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English phosphate
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | phosphate | Any salt or ester of phosphoric acid; A... |
| 2 | French | phosphate | phosphate |
| 3 | French | phosphore | phosphorus |
| 4 | New Latin | phōsphorus | — |
| 5 | Ancient Greek | Φωσφόρος | the bearer of light |
| 6 | Ancient Greek | -φόρος | -bearing, -carrying; carrying, bearing; bringing |
| 7 | Ancient Greek | φέρω | I bring, bear, carry |
| 8 | Proto-Hellenic | pʰérō | to bear |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰéreti | to be carrying |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰēr- | shiny, light brown |
via English super
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | super | Of excellent quality, superfine; better than... |
| 2 | English | super-ego | Alternative spelling of superego |
| 3 | German | Über-Ich | superego |
| 4 | German | Ich | ego, the Ich; self, me, him, etc |
| 5 | Middle High German | ich | I |
| 6 | Old High German | ih | I |
| 7 | Proto-West Germanic | ik | I |
| 8 | Proto-Germanic | *ek | — |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | éǵh₂ | I |