Where does “unmentionable” come from?
Unmentionable derives from English mention, which traces through Proto-Indo-European óynos and ano- back to the root men-, meaning to think or remember.
unmentionable (English): Not mentionable; Something not to be discussed in...
Definitions
- Not mentionable; Something not to be discussed in...
Ancestry of “unmentionable”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | mentionable | Important or worthy of note; Suitable to be... |
| 2 | English | mention | A speaking or notice of anything, usually in a... |
| 3 | Middle English | mencioun | mention |
| 4 | Old French | mention | mention |
| 5 | Latin | mentionem | accusative singular of mentiō |
| 6 | Latin | mentiō | mention, a calling to mind |
| 7 | Latin | -tiō | tion, -ation, -ing |
| 8 | Latin | dissertātiō | (spoken) dissertation, discourse, disquisition |
| 9 | Latin | dissertus | arranged, disposed; explained |
| 10 | Latin | disserere | second-person singular future passive indicative... |
| 11 | Latin | dis- | asunder, apart, in two; reversal, removal;... |
| 12 | Latin | calceus | shoe |
| 13 | Latin | calx | limestone; chalk; the finish line |
| 14 | Ancient Greek | χάλιξ | small stone, pebble; gravel, rubble |