Where does “untangle” come from?
Untangle derives from English un- plus tangle, where un- comes from Latin unus, from Proto-Indo-European óynos, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European h₂ent-.
untangle (English): To remove tangles or knots from; To remove...
Definitions
- To remove tangles or knots from; To remove...
Ancestry of “untangle”, step by step
untangle traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English tangle
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | tangle | to become mixed together or intertwined; to enter... |
| 2 | Old Norse | þang | tangle; seaweed |
| 3 | Old Norse | þongull | — |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | þanga | — |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | tenk- | to be solid, firm; to be suitable; to succeed,... |
via English un
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | un | One |