Where does “obstetrix” come from?

obstetrix (Latin) comes from Latin obstō, from Latin ob-, from Latin obolus, from Ancient Greek ὀβολός, from Ancient Greek ὀβελός, from Ancient Greek βέλος, from Proto-Indo-European gʷélHos, from Proto-Indo-European gʷelH- — to throw, reach, pierce; to hit by throwing.

obstetrix (Latin): midwife

Definitions

  1. midwife

Ancestry of “obstetrix”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Latinobstōto stand before, stand in the way of, obstruct, block, oppose
2Latinob-towards; against
3Latinobolusobolus (Greek coin)
4Ancient Greekὀβολόςobol, obolus, used at Athens as both a weight and...
5Ancient Greekὀβελόςa spit, rod; a horizontal line
6Ancient Greekβέλοςmissile, arrow, dart; weapon; something quickly...
7Proto-Indo-EuropeangʷélHos
8Proto-Indo-EuropeangʷelH-to throw, reach, pierce; to hit by throwing

Words derived from “obstetrix

Every word from Proto-Indo-European gʷelH-