Etymology Explorer › Latin

Where does “cetacea” come from?

cetacea (Latin) comes from Latin cetus, from Ancient Greek κῆτος — whale, sea monster; abyss.

Ancestry of “cetacea”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1LatincetusAny large sea-animal, such as a whale, shark,...
2Ancient Greekκῆτοςwhale, sea monster; abyss

Words derived from “cetacea”

  • cetacean
  • cetology
  • cetological
  • cetologist
  • cétacé
  • cetaceu
Every word from Ancient Greek κῆτος →