Where does “tourmaline” come from?
tourmaline (French) comes from English carnelian, from English Cornelian, from Old French corneline, from Latin Cornus, from Ancient Greek κορμός, from Ancient Greek κείρω, from Proto-Indo-European (s)kér-ye-, from Proto-Indo-European (s)ker- — to cut, cut off, sever.
tourmaline (French): tourmaline
Definitions
- tourmaline
Ancestry of “tourmaline”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | carnelian | A hard, reddish brown chalcedony; used in... |
| 2 | English | Cornelian | Pertaining to Pierre Corneille, or characteristic... |
| 3 | Old French | corneline | — |
| 4 | Latin | Cornus | cornel, dogwood (tree and fruit) |
| 5 | Ancient Greek | κορμός | trunk of a tree; log of timber |
| 6 | Ancient Greek | κείρω | I shear, shave, cut hair short; I ravage, waste;... |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | (s)kér-ye- | — |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | (s)ker- | to cut off; to turn, bend |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | sek- | to cut, cut off, sever |