Where does “vertebrae” come from?

vertebrae (Latin) comes from Latin vertebra, from Latin vertō, from Proto-Italic wertō, from Proto-Indo-European wert-, from Proto-Indo-European wer- — to burn; to cover, heed, notice; squirrel.

vertebrae (Latin): nominative plural of vertebra; genitive singular...

Definitions

  1. nominative plural of vertebra; genitive singular...

Ancestry of “vertebrae”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Latinvertebrajoint; vertebra
2Latinvertōto turn, turn oneself, direct one's way, to turn about, turn around, revolve
3Proto-Italicwertōto turn
4Proto-Indo-Europeanwert-to turn, to rotate
5Proto-Indo-Europeanwer-to burn; to cover, heed, notice; squirrel
Every word from Proto-Indo-European wer- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European wert- →Every word from Proto-Italic wertō →