Where does “volcanic lightning” come from?
volcanic lightning (English) comes from English lightning, from English lighten, from English -en, from Middle English -en, from Old English -en, from Old Norse -inn, from Proto-Norse -īna-, from Proto-Germanic -īnaz — adjectival suffix.
volcanic lightning (English): Electrical discharge that occurs during a volcanic eruption, caused by a build-up of static electricity in colliding ejecta (such as ash and debris)
Definitions
- Electrical discharge that occurs during a volcanic eruption, caused by a build-up of static electricity in colliding ejecta (such as ash and debris)
Ancestry of “volcanic lightning”, step by step
volcanic lightning traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English lightning
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | lightning | A flash of light produced by short-duration,... |
| 2 | English | lighten | To make brighter or clearer; to illuminate; To... |
| 3 | English | -en | Denotes the past participle form when attached to... |
| 4 | Middle English | -en | Denotes the past participle form when attached to... |
| 5 | Old English | -en | mæġþ + API → mæġden; cocc + API → cycen, cicen;... |
| 6 | Old Norse | -inn | Used to create adjectives from nouns, meaning... |
| 7 | Proto-Norse | -īna- | — |
| 8 | Proto-Germanic | -īnaz | -en |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | -iHnos | Creates adjectives of materials |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | -no- | adjectival suffix |
via English volcanic
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | volcanic | Of or pertaining to a volcano or volcanoes;... |
| 2 | French | volcanique | volcanic |
| 3 | French | -ique | Used to form adjectives from nouns: -ic, -ical,... |
| 4 | Middle French | -ique | ic |
| 5 | Old French | -ique | -ic |
| 6 | Latin | -icus | belonging to; derived from; of or pertaining to;... |
| 7 | Proto-Italic | *-ikos | forms adjectives with the sense of 'of or pertaining to' |