Where does “tajalápiz” come from?
tajalápiz (Spanish) comes from Spanish tajar, from Late Latin talio, from Latin talea, from Proto-Indo-European teh₂l- — to grow; young animal.
tajalápiz (Spanish): pencil sharpener
Ancestry of “tajalápiz”, step by step
tajalápiz traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Spanish tajar
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Spanish | tajar | to cut; to slice, to chop |
| 2 | Late Latin | talio | a punishment equal to the injury sustained;... |
| 3 | Latin | talea | A long or slender piece of wood or metal; rod,... |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | teh₂l- | to grow; young animal |
via Spanish lápiz
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Spanish | lápiz | pencil |
| 2 | Italian | lapis | pencil; sanguine |
| 3 | Latin | lapis | a stone; a milestone; a boundary stone |
| 4 | Proto-Italic | *lapets | stone |