Where does “tetraphyletic” come from?

tetraphyletic (English) comes from English tetra, from Translingual Tetragonopterus, from Ancient Greek πτερόν, from Proto-Indo-European péth₂r̥, from Proto-Indo-European peth₂- — to spread out; to fly.

tetraphyletic (English): Of or relating to four phylums

Definitions

  1. Of or relating to four phylums

Ancestry of “tetraphyletic”, step by step

tetraphyletic traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English tetra

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishtetraAny of numerous species of small South American...
2TranslingualTetragonopterus
3Ancient Greekπτερόνfeather; wing; Any winged creature
4Proto-Indo-Europeanpéth₂r̥wing; feather
5Proto-Indo-Europeanpeth₂-to spread out; to fly

via English phyletic

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishphyleticOf or pertaining to phylogeny; phylogenetic; Of...
Every word from Proto-Indo-European peth₂-Every word from Proto-Indo-European péth₂r̥Every word from Ancient Greek πτερόν