Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “undersea” come from?

Undersea comes from Middle English under- combined with Old English sǣ, which derives from Latin sedes meaning seat or settlement, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European sed- meaning to sit.

undersea (English): Existing, relating to, or made for use beneath...

Definitions

  1. Existing, relating to, or made for use beneath...

Ancestry of “undersea”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishseaA large body of salt water; A lake, especially if...
2Middle Englishseesea, ocean; A body of water, a lake; seat, chair
3Old Englishsǣsea, lake
4Proto-West Germanicsaiwisea
5Proto-Germanicsaiwizsea, ocean
6Proto-Germanicsīhwanąto filter
7Proto-Indo-Europeanseykʷ-to moisten; to filter
8Proto-Indo-Europeansey-to be wet; dribble; run; to stretch one's arm;...
Every word from Proto-Indo-European sey- →