Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “superspreading” come from?

superspreading (English) comes from English spreading, from English Speed, from Middle English sped, from Old English spēd, from Proto-West Germanic spōdi, from Proto-West Germanic spōan, from Proto-Germanic spōaną, from Proto-Indo-European spéh₁- — to succeed, to prosper.

superspreading (English): The spreading of an infection to many other...

Definitions

  1. The spreading of an infection to many other...

Ancestry of “superspreading”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Englishspreadingpresent participle of spread; The act by which...
2EnglishSpeed—
3Middle Englishspedgood fortune
4Old Englishspēdsuccess; luck, prosperity, success
5Proto-West Germanicspōdihurry, rush; success, prosperity
6Proto-West Germanicspōanto succeed, prosper
7Proto-Germanicspōanąto prosper, succeed, be happy
8Proto-Indo-Europeanspéh₁-—
9Proto-Indo-Europeanspeh₁-to succeed, to prosper
Every word from Proto-Indo-European speh₁- →