Where does “were-elephant” come from?

were-elephant (English) comes from English elephant, from English -esque, from French -esque, from Italian -esco, from Vulgar Latin -iscus, from Latin -ensis, from Latin arvum, from Latin colō — to turn.

were-elephant (English): A shapeshifter who can assume the form of an...

Definitions

  1. A shapeshifter who can assume the form of an...

Ancestry of “were-elephant”, step by step

were-elephant traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English elephant

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishelephantA mammal of the order Proboscidea, having a...
2English-esqueIn the style or manner of; Resembling
3French-esqueesque
4Italian-escoForms adjectives that indicate relationship,...
5Vulgar Latin-iscus-ish
6Latin-ensisOf or from
7Latinarvumfield; farm land
8Latincolōto cultivate the land, till, tend, take care of a field or garden
9Latinquelō
10Proto-Italickʷelōto inhabit
11Proto-Indo-Europeankʷéleti
12Proto-Indo-Europeankʷel-to turn

via English were

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Englishweresecond-person singular simple past indicative of...
2EnglishwerewolfA person who is transformed or can transform into...
3Middle Englishwerwolf
4Old Englishwerewulfwerewolf
5Old Englishwerman; husband; hero, warrior
6Proto-Germanicwer
7Proto-Germanicwēraztrue; reliable; friendly; kind
8Proto-Indo-EuropeanwiHrósman; husband; warrior, hero
9Proto-Indo-Europeanweyh₁-to chase, pursue; to suppress, persecute
Every word from Proto-Indo-European kʷel-Every word from Proto-Indo-European kʷéletiEvery word from Proto-Italic kʷelō