Where does “undernutrition” come from?

Undernutrition comes from English under- combined with nutrition, which derives from Middle French nutrition, from Latin nutritio, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European roots meaning nourishment and being.

undernutrition (English): Inadequate nutrition, either due to a lack of...

Definitions

  1. Inadequate nutrition, either due to a lack of...

Ancestry of “undernutrition”, step by step

undernutrition traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English nutrition

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishnutritionThe organic process by which an organism...
2Middle Frenchnutrition
3Old Frenchnutricion
4Latinnūtrītiōnutrition
5Latin-tiōtion, -ation, -ing
6Latindissertātiō(spoken) dissertation, discourse, disquisition
7Latindissertusarranged, disposed; explained
8Latindissereresecond-person singular future passive indicative...
9Latindis-asunder, apart, in two; reversal, removal;...
10Latincalceusshoe
11Latincalxlimestone; chalk; the finish line
12Ancient Greekχάλιξsmall stone, pebble; gravel, rubble

via English under

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishunderIn or at a lower level than; As a subject of;...
2Middle Englishunderunder
3Old Englishunderunder, beneath
4Proto-Germanicunderamong, between; under, beneath; under
5Proto-Indo-Europeanh₁entérbetween
6Proto-Indo-Europeanh₁enin; in, inside
Every word from Ancient Greek χάλιξEvery word from Latin -tiōEvery word from Latin dis-
undernutrition — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer