Where does “zero-grade” come from?

zero-grade (English) comes from English zero, from Middle French zero, from Italian Zero, from New Latin zerum, from Medieval Latin zephirum, from Arabic صِفْر, from Sanskrit शून्य, from Proto-Indo-European ḱówH-.

zero-grade (English): In Proto-Indo-European linguistics, an ablaut...

Definitions

  1. In Proto-Indo-European linguistics, an ablaut...

Ancestry of “zero-grade”, step by step

zero-grade traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English zero

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishzeroThe cardinal number occurring before one and that...
2Middle Frenchzero
3ItalianZerozero
4New Latinzerum
5Medieval Latinzephirumzero
6Arabicصِفْرzero, nothing, empty, void; nothing, cipher;...
7Sanskritशून्यzero; cipher, cypher; blank, deserted
8Proto-Indo-EuropeanḱówH-

via English grade

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishgradeA rating; The performance of an individual or...
2Frenchgraderank; gradian
3Latingradusa step, pace; a stage, degree; a rank
4Proto-Italicgraðus
5Proto-Indo-Europeangʰradʰ-
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ḱówH-