Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “undernourishment” come from?

undernourishment (English) comes from English nourishment, from Middle English norisshement, from Old French norissement, from Old French norrir, from Latin nūtriō, from Proto-Italic snoutrjō, from Proto-Indo-European snew-tr-ih₂, from Proto-Indo-European (s)neh₂- — to swim; to float.

undernourishment (English): Insufficient nourishment; The condition of being...

Definitions

  1. Insufficient nourishment; The condition of being...

Ancestry of “undernourishment”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishnourishmentThe act of nourishing or the state of being...
2Middle EnglishnorisshementSustenance, nourishment; Education, raising
3Old Frenchnorissement—
4Old Frenchnorrirto feed; to nourish
5Latinnūtriō—
6Proto-Italicsnoutrjō—
7Proto-Indo-Europeansnew-tr-ih₂female nurser
8Proto-Indo-European(s)neh₂-to swim; to float
Every word from Proto-Indo-European (s)neh₂- →