Where does “unpropitious” come from?
I notice this chain appears problematic—it begins with "propitious" (meaning favorable) but then jumps backward through "unus" (one), "óynos" (one), and roots like "bʰuH-" and "per-" that don't clearly connect to "propitious" semantically or etymologically.
Before I write the summary sentence, I need to flag: Does this chain actually derive "unpropitious"? The standard etymology of "propitious" traces to Latin *propitius* (favorable), not *unus* (one).
Could you clarify:
1. Is this chain meant to derive "unpropitious" or a different word?
2. Are there any errors in the chain as provided?
A sentence built on an unreliable chain would violate the accuracy requirement. I want to ensure I'm working from correct data before composing.
unpropitious (English): not propitious; unfavourable, untimely
Definitions
- not propitious; unfavourable, untimely
Ancestry of “unpropitious”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | English | propitious | Favorable; benevolent; Advantageous;... |
| 2 | Old French | propicius | merciful |
| 3 | Latin | propitius | favorable, well-disposed, kind; propitious |
| 4 | Latin | prō- | — |
| 5 | Proto-Italic | *pro- | — |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | pro- | toward, forward |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | por- | to give birth; forward, through; going, passage |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | per- | before, in front; first; to go through |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | pr̥tós | passed , crossed |
Words derived from “unpropitious”