Where does “magnanimité” come from?
magnanimité (Middle French) comes from Latin magnanimitas, from Latin magnanimus, from Latin animus, from Proto-Italic anamos, from Proto-Indo-European h₂enh₁mos, from Proto-Indo-European h₂enh₁- — to breathe.
Ancestry of “magnanimité”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Latin | magnanimitas | magnanimity |
| 2 | Latin | magnanimus | brave, bold, noble; magnanimous; generous |
| 3 | Latin | animus | That life-giving aspect which animates: life... |
| 4 | Proto-Italic | anamos | breath; spirit, soul, life force |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂enh₁mos | breath |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂enh₁- | to breathe |