Etymology Explorer › Translingual

Where does “Amoeba” come from?

Amoeba (Translingual) comes from Latin amoeba, from Ancient Greek ἀμοιβή, from Ancient Greek ἀμείβω, from Proto-Indo-European h₂meygʷ-, from Proto-Indo-European mey- — to strengthen; to bind; to change, exchange.

Ancestry of “Amoeba”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Latinamoebaamoeba
2Ancient Greekἀμοιβήrequital, recompense; change, exchange
3Ancient Greekἀμείβωto exchange; to pass in or out of a house; to do...
4Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂meygʷ-to change, exchange; to change places → to wander
5Proto-Indo-Europeanmey-to strengthen; to bind; to change, exchange

Words derived from “Amoeba”

  • acanthamoebiasis
  • Acanthamoeba
  • Amoebidae
  • Amoebozoa
Every word from Proto-Indo-European mey- →