Where does “undertakable” come from?
undertakable (English) comes from English able, from Middle English able, from Old French able, from Latin habilis, from Latin -ilis, from Proto-Italic -elis, from Proto-Indo-European -elis, from Proto-Indo-European -lós — Forms agent nouns from verbal roots.
undertakable (English): Capable of being undertaken; practicable
Definitions
- Capable of being undertaken; practicable
Ancestry of “undertakable”, step by step
undertakable traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English able
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | able | Easy to use; Suitable; competent; Liable to |
| 2 | Middle English | able | capable, expert, qualified, skilful, competent |
| 3 | Old French | able | able; capable |
| 4 | Latin | habilis | able to have/possess/maintain; having sufficient... |
| 5 | Latin | -ilis | -ile |
| 6 | Proto-Italic | -elis | — |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | -elis | — |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | -lós | Forms agent nouns from verbal roots |
via English undertake
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | undertake | To take upon oneself; to start, to embark on; To... |
| 2 | Middle English | undertaken | To pledge; to assert, assure; to dare say |
| 3 | Middle English | taken | to take; Alternative form of token; Alternative... |
| 4 | Old English | tācen | — |
| 5 | Old Norse | tekinn | past participle of taka; take, took, taken |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | tēkanaz | — |
| 7 | Proto-Germanic | tēkaną | to touch; to grasp |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | deh₁g- | to touch |