Where does “Madeira” come from?
Madeira (Portuguese) comes from Old Portuguese madeira, from Latin māteria, from Latin māter, from Proto-Italic mātēr, from Proto-Indo-European méh₂tēr — mother.
Madeira (Portuguese): Ellipsis of vinho da Madeira
Definitions
- Ellipsis of vinho da Madeira
Ancestry of “Madeira”, step by step
Madeira traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Old Portuguese madeira
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old Portuguese | madeira | — |
| 2 | Latin | māteria | matter; material; component stuff; substance |
| 3 | Latin | māter | mother female parent |
| 4 | Proto-Italic | mātēr | mother |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | méh₂tēr | mother |
via Portuguese vinho da Madeira
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Portuguese | vinho da Madeira | Madeira |