Where does “animal” come from?

animal (Latin) comes from Latin animālis, from Latin anima, from Latin animus, from Proto-Italic anamos, from Proto-Indo-European h₂enh₁mos, from Proto-Indo-European h₂enh₁- — to breathe.

animal (Latin): animal; living creature

Definitions

  1. animal; living creature

Ancestry of “animal”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Latinanimālisanimate, living
2Latinanimasoul, spirit, life; air, breeze; breath
3LatinanimusThat life-giving aspect which animates: life...
4Proto-Italicanamosbreath; spirit, soul, life force
5Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂enh₁mosbreath
6Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂enh₁-to breathe

Words derived from “animal”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂enh₁- →