Where does “underpopulate” come from?

underpopulate (English) comes from English under, from Middle English under, from Old English under, from Proto-Germanic under, from Proto-Indo-European h₁entér, from Proto-Indo-European h₁en — in; in, inside.

underpopulate (English): To populate with too few individuals

Definitions

  1. To populate with too few individuals

Ancestry of “underpopulate”, step by step

underpopulate traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

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

via English populate

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishpopulateTo supply with inhabitants; to people; To live...
2Medieval Latinpopulatusravaged
3LatinpopulorI lay waste, ravage or devastate; I plunder or...
4Latinpōpulusa people, nation
5Proto-Italicpoplosarmy
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₁en →