Where does “mollusca” come from?

mollusca (Latin) comes from Latin molluscus, from Latin mollis, from Latin molduis, from Proto-Italic moldus, from Proto-Indo-European *ml̥dus, from Proto-Indo-European (s)meld- — to soften, to melt.

mollusca (Latin): a kind of soft nut with a thin shell; ablative...

Definitions

  1. a kind of soft nut with a thin shell; ablative...

Ancestry of “mollusca”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Latinmolluscussoft
2Latinmollissoft, delicate to the touch; pliant, flexible,...
3Latinmolduis
4Proto-Italicmoldus
5Proto-Indo-European*ml̥dussoft, weak
6Proto-Indo-European(s)meld-to soften, to melt

Words derived from “mollusca

Every word from Proto-Indo-European (s)meld-
mollusca — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer