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

  1. Resembling an instrument in role; instrumental;...

Ancestry of “instrumental”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Medieval Latininstrumentalisinstrumental
2LatinīnstrūmentumAn instrument, tool, utensil
3Latin-mentuminstrument, medium, or result of; e.g....
4Latin-mentanominative plural of -mentum; accusative plural...
5Proto-Indo-European-mn̥Creates action nouns or result nouns from verbs

Words derived from “instrumental

Every word from Proto-Indo-European -mn̥Every word from Latin -mentumEvery word from Latin īnstrūmentum