Etymology Explorer › Latin

Where does “pontifex” come from?

pontifex (Latin) comes from Latin pōns, from Latin fractus, from Latin frangere, from Latin frangō, from Proto-Indo-European bʰrēǵ- — to shine, shimmer.

pontifex (Latin): a high priest, State minister in ancient Rome; a...

Definitions

  1. a high priest, State minister in ancient Rome; a...

Ancestry of “pontifex”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Latinpōns—
2Latinfractusbroken, shattered, having been broken;...
3Latinfrangeresecond-person singular future passive indicative...
4Latinfrangō—
5Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰrēǵ-to shine, shimmer

Words derived from “pontifex”

  • pontiff
  • pontificate
  • pontifex
  • pontification
  • pontificator
  • pontify
  • pontificatus
  • pontífice
  • pontificato
  • понтифик
  • pontifier
  • pontife
  • Pontifikat
  • pontífice
  • pontife
  • pontifex
Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰrēǵ- →