Where does “general” come from?
general (Middle English) comes from Anglo-Norman general, from Latin generalis, from Latin genus, from Proto-Italic genos, from Proto-Indo-European ǵénh₁os, from Proto-Indo-European ǵenh₁- — to produce, to beget, to give birth.
general (Middle English): universal, complete; comprehensive, wide-ranging;...
Definitions
- universal, complete; comprehensive, wide-ranging;...
Ancestry of “general”, step by step
general traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Anglo-Norman general
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Anglo-Norman | general | general |
| 2 | Latin | generalis | general, generic |
| 3 | Latin | genus | birth, origin, lineage, descent; kind, type,... |
| 4 | Proto-Italic | genos | lineage, origin |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | ǵénh₁os | race, lineage |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | ǵenh₁- | to produce, to beget, to give birth |
via Middle French general
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle French | general | — |