Where does “Nihilist” come from?

Nihilist (German) comes from Latin nihil, from Latin nihilum, from Latin nē, from Latin gēns, from Proto-Italic *gentis, from Proto-Indo-European ǵénh₁tis, from Proto-Indo-European ǵenh₁- — to produce, to beget, to give birth.

Nihilist (German): nihilist (person)

Definitions

  1. nihilist (person)

Ancestry of “Nihilist”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Latinnihilindefinite nothing
2Latinnihilumnothing; no value
3Latinno; not
4LatingēnsRoman clan (related by birth or marriage and sharing a common name and often united by certain religious rites)
5Proto-Italic*gentis
6Proto-Indo-Europeanǵénh₁tisbirth, production
7Proto-Indo-Europeanǵenh₁-to produce, to beget, to give birth
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ǵenh₁-Every word from Proto-Indo-European ǵénh₁tisEvery word from Proto-Italic *gentis
Nihilist — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer