Where does “puma” come from?

puma (Sicilian) comes from Latin pōma, from Proto-Italic poomos, from Proto-Indo-European h₂po-h₁ém-os, from Proto-Indo-European h₂epo — from, off, back; off, away; off, from.

puma (Sicilian): apple

Definitions

  1. apple

Ancestry of “puma”, step by step

puma traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Latin pōma

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Latinpōma
2Proto-Italicpoomosfruit
3Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂po-h₁ém-ostaken off
4Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂epofrom, off, back; off, away; off, from

via Spanish puma

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Spanishpumacougar, mountain lion, puma
2Quechuapumapuma; cougar; mountain lion
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂epoEvery word from Proto-Indo-European h₂po-h₁ém-osEvery word from Proto-Italic poomos