Where does “nucleus” come from?

nucleus (New Latin) comes from Latin nux, from Proto-Italic knuks, from Proto-Indo-European knew-, from Proto-Indo-European ken- — to arise, begin.

nucleus (New Latin): nut; kernel; core

Definitions

  1. nut; kernel; core

Ancestry of “nucleus”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1LatinnuxA nut; A nut-tree; A fruit with a hard shell or...
2Proto-Italicknuksnut
3Proto-Indo-Europeanknew-to scrape; scratch; rub; to scratch; scrape; rub
4Proto-Indo-Europeanken-to arise, begin
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ken- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European knew- →Every word from Proto-Italic knuks →