Where does “xerophytism” come from?

xerophytism (English) comes from English xerophyte, from English -phyte, from Ancient Greek φυτόν, from Ancient Greek φύω, from Proto-Indo-European bʰuHyéti, from Proto-Indo-European -yéti, from Proto-Indo-European yé-, from Chichewa iye — he, she.

xerophytism (English): The adaptation of plants to habitats where water...

Definitions

  1. The adaptation of plants to habitats where water...

Ancestry of “xerophytism”, step by step

xerophytism traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English xerophyte

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishxerophyteAny plant suited for life in a habitat where...
2English-phyteA taxonomic group of plants or algae, e.g....
3Ancient Greekφυτόνplant, tree; creature; child, descendant
4Ancient GreekφύωTo bring forth, produce, generate, cause to grow;...
5Proto-Indo-EuropeanbʰuHyétito be becoming, to be growing, to be appearing
6Proto-Indo-European-yétiCreates intransitive, often deponent,...
7Proto-Indo-Europeanyé-
8Chichewaiyehe, she

via English ism

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishismAn ideology, system of thought, or practice that...
2English-ismUsed to form nouns of action or process or result...
3Latin-ismus-ism
4Ancient Greek-ισμόςForms abstract nouns
5Ancient Greek-μόςForms abstract nouns
6Proto-Indo-European-mósCreates action/result nouns from verb stems
Every word from Chichewa iyeEvery word from Proto-Indo-European -yétiEvery word from Proto-Indo-European bʰuHyéti