Etymology Explorer › Latin

Where does “cataclysmus” come from?

cataclysmus (Latin) comes from Ancient Greek κατακλυσμός, from Ancient Greek κατακλύζω, from Ancient Greek κᾰτᾰ-, from Ancient Greek κατά, from Ancient Greek καταστερίζω, from Ancient Greek ἀστήρ, from Proto-Hellenic astḗr, from Proto-Indo-European h₂stḗr — to be/become dry; to burn, to glow; hearth.

cataclysmus (Latin): deluge, flood, inundation; shower, douche

Definitions

  1. deluge, flood, inundation; shower, douche

Ancestry of “cataclysmus”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Ancient Greekκατακλυσμόςflood, inundation; deluge
2Ancient Greekκατακλύζωto dash over, flood, deluge, inundate; I wash...
3Ancient Greekκᾰτᾰ-fully; down; denoting motion downwards
4Ancient Greekκατά
5Ancient Greekκαταστερίζωto place among the stars; I put among the stars
6Ancient Greekἀστήρa celestial body; illustrious person; starfish
7Proto-Hellenicastḗrstar
8Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂stḗrstar
9Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂eHs-to be/become dry; to burn, to glow; hearth

Words derived from “cataclysmus”

  • cataclysmic
  • cataclysm
  • cataclysmal
  • cataclysmically
  • cataclysmist
  • uncataclysmic
  • cataclismo
  • cataclysmique
  • cataclysme
  • cataclismo
  • cataclisma
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂eHs- →