Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “torpedo” come from?

Torpedo comes from Latin torpēdō, derived from Latin torpēre meaning to be stiff or numb, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European ster- meaning stiff or rigid.

torpedo (English): An electric ray of the genus "Torpedo"; A...

Definitions

  1. An electric ray of the genus "Torpedo"; A...

Ancestry of “torpedo”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Latintorpēdō—
2Latintorpeō—
3Proto-Indo-Europeanterp-to satisfy

Words derived from “torpedo”

  • Torpex
  • antitorpedo
  • torpedolike
  • torpedoist
  • torpedoer
  • torpedo roll
  • torpedo
  • torpedo
  • torpedo
Every word from Proto-Indo-European terp- →