Where does “instrumental” come from?
instrumental (Middle English) comes from Medieval Latin instrumentalis, from Latin īnstrūmentum, from Latin -mentum, from Latin -menta, from Proto-Indo-European -mn̥ — Creates action nouns or result nouns from verbs.
instrumental (Middle English): Resembling an instrument in role; instrumental;...
Definitions
- Resembling an instrument in role; instrumental;...
Ancestry of “instrumental”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Medieval Latin | instrumentalis | instrumental |
| 2 | Latin | īnstrūmentum | — |
| 3 | Latin | -mentum | instrument, medium, or result of; e.g.... |
| 4 | Latin | -menta | nominative plural of -mentum; accusative plural... |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | -mn̥ | Creates action nouns or result nouns from verbs |
Words derived from “instrumental”