Where does “animâ” come from?

animâ (Norman) comes from Old French animal, from Latin animal, from Latin animālis, from Latin anima, from Latin animus, from Proto-Italic anamos, from Proto-Indo-European h₂enh₁mos, from Proto-Indo-European h₂enh₁- — to breathe.

animâ (Norman): animal

Definitions

  1. animal

Ancestry of “animâ”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Frenchanimal
2Latinanimalanimal; living creature
3Latinanimālisanimate, living
4Latinanimasoul, spirit, life; air, breeze; breath
5LatinanimusThat life-giving aspect which animates: life...
6Proto-Italicanamosbreath; spirit, soul, life force
7Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂enh₁mosbreath
8Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂enh₁-to breathe
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂enh₁-Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂enh₁mosEvery word from Proto-Italic anamos