Etymology Explorer › Middle French

Where does “catapulte” come from?

catapulte (Middle French) comes from Latin catapulta, from Ancient Greek καταπέλτης, from Ancient Greek κατά, from Ancient Greek καταστερίζω, from Ancient Greek ἀστήρ, from Proto-Hellenic astḗr, from Proto-Indo-European h₂stḗr, from Proto-Indo-European h₂eHs- — to be/become dry; to burn, to glow; hearth.

Ancestry of “catapulte”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Latincatapultaa catapult
2Ancient GreekκαταπέλτηςLiterary form of κᾰτᾰπᾰ́λτης
3Ancient Greekκατά
4Ancient Greekκαταστερίζωto place among the stars; I put among the stars
5Ancient Greekἀστήρa celestial body; illustrious person; starfish
6Proto-Hellenicastḗrstar
7Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂stḗrstar
8Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂eHs-to be/become dry; to burn, to glow; hearth

Words derived from “catapulte”

  • catapult
  • catapultic
  • catapultian
  • catapultlike
  • catapulter
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂eHs- →