Etymology Explorer › Middle English

Where does “cateract” come from?

cateract (Middle English) comes from Latin cataracta, from Ancient Greek καταράκτης, from Ancient Greek καταράσσω, from Ancient Greek κατα-, from Ancient Greek κατά, from Ancient Greek καταστερίζω, from Ancient Greek ἀστήρ, from Proto-Hellenic astḗr — to be/become dry; to burn, to glow; hearth.

cateract (Middle English): Alternative form of cataract

Definitions

  1. Alternative form of cataract

Ancestry of “cateract”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Latincataractawaterfall; drawbridge, portcullis
2Ancient Greekκαταράκτης—
3Ancient GreekκαταράσσωI pour down; pour down
4Ancient Greekκατα-back; downwards; against
5Ancient Greekκατά
6Ancient Greekκαταστερίζωto place among the stars; I put among the stars
7Ancient Greekἀστήρa celestial body; illustrious person; starfish
8Proto-Hellenicastḗrstar
9Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂stḗrstar
10Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂eHs-to be/become dry; to burn, to glow; hearth

Words derived from “cateract”

  • cataract
  • cataractous
  • cataractogenesis
  • cataracted
  • cataractogenic
  • postcataract
  • aftercataract
  • anticataract
  • cataractogenous
  • katarak
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂eHs- →