Where does “noctilūca” come from?

noctilūca (Middle English) comes from Medieval Latin noctiluca, from Latin nox, from Proto-Italic nokts, from Proto-Indo-European nókʷts, from Proto-Indo-European negʷ- — bare, naked.

noctilūca (Middle English): A firefly, glowworm

Definitions

  1. A firefly, glowworm

Ancestry of “noctilūca”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Medieval Latinnoctilucasomething which shines by night; Something which...
2Latinnoxnight; darkness; a dream
3Proto-Italicnoktsnight
4Proto-Indo-Europeannókʷtsnight
5Proto-Indo-Europeannegʷ-bare, naked
Every word from Proto-Indo-European negʷ- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European nókʷts →Every word from Proto-Italic nokts →