Where does “semivocale” come from?

semivocale (Italian) comes from Latin semivocalis, from Latin vōcālis, from Latin vōx, from Proto-Italic wōks, from Proto-Indo-European wṓkʷs, from Proto-Indo-European wekʷ- — to speak, to sound out.

semivocale (Italian): semivowel

Definitions

  1. semivowel

Ancestry of “semivocale”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Latinsemivocalissemivocal
2Latinvōcālisuttering a voice, having a voice; speaking, sounding, sonorous, speaking, crying, singing, melodious; vocal
3Latinvōxvoice
4Proto-Italicwōksvoice
5Proto-Indo-Europeanwṓkʷsvoice, speech
6Proto-Indo-Europeanwekʷ-to speak, to sound out
Every word from Proto-Indo-European wekʷ- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European wṓkʷs →Every word from Proto-Italic wōks →