Where does “ad fontes” come from?

ad fontes (Latin) comes from Latin ad, from Proto-Italic ad, from Proto-Indo-European h₂éd — to, at.

ad fontes (Latin): Go to the sources: An expression emphasizing the importance of conducting fundamental research and of consulting primary sources

Definitions

  1. Go to the sources: An expression emphasizing the importance of conducting fundamental research and of consulting primary sources

Ancestry of “ad fontes”, step by step

ad fontes traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Latin ad

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Latinadtoward, to; up to; near, by, close by, at, to
2Proto-Italicadtoward, to, on, up to, for
3Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂édto, at

via Latin fontes

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Latinfontesnominative plural of fōns; accusative plural of...
2Latinfonsa spring, a fountain; fresh water, spring water;...
3Latinfontisgenitive singular of fōns
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂éd →Every word from Proto-Italic ad →Every word from Latin ad →