Where does “pensum” come from?
pensum (Norwegian Nynorsk) comes from Latin pēnsum, from Latin pendō, from Proto-Italic pendō, from Proto-Indo-European (s)péndeti, from Proto-Indo-European (s)pend- — to stretch.
pensum (Norwegian Nynorsk): syllabus, curriculum; task, assignment;...
Definitions
- syllabus, curriculum; task, assignment;...
Ancestry of “pensum”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Latin | pēnsum | allotment, portion, weight (of wool measured out to a slave to spin in a day) |
| 2 | Latin | pendō | to weigh, weigh out |
| 3 | Proto-Italic | pendō | hang, put in a hanging position |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | (s)péndeti | — |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | (s)pend- | to stretch |