Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “uncleavable” come from?

uncleavable (English) comes from English cleavable, from English cleave, from Middle English cleven, from Old English clēofian, from Proto-West Germanic klibēn, from Proto-Germanic klibāną, from Proto-Indo-European gleybʰ-, from Proto-Indo-European gley- — to be cold, to freeze.

uncleavable (English): Not cleavable

Definitions

  1. Not cleavable

Ancestry of “uncleavable”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishcleavableCapable of being cleaved
2EnglishcleaveTo split or sever something with, or as if with,...
3Middle EnglishclevenTo cleave; to split or slice through; To break...
4Old Englishclēofian—
5Proto-West Germanicklibēnto stick, to adhere
6Proto-Germanicklibānąto stick, to adhere
7Proto-Indo-Europeangleybʰ-to stick
8Proto-Indo-Europeangley-to glue, paste, stick together; to glue, stick...
9Proto-Indo-Europeangel-to be cold, to freeze
Every word from Proto-Indo-European gel- →