English
albescent
Albescent comes from Latin albescens ‘whitening, becoming white’, and goes back to Proto-Indo-European *albʰós.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*albʰós‘white’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*alβos‘white’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEalbus‘white’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEalbescere‘to grow white’next step skipped: Latin albēscō
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEalbescens‘whitening, becoming white’present participle of albescere
- Englishearliest quotation 1726albescent
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*albʰós‘white’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*alβos‘white’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEalbus‘white’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEalbescere‘to grow white’next step skipped: Latin albēscō
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEalbescens‘whitening, becoming white’present participle of albescere
- Englishearliest quotation 1726albescent
Earliest quotation: 1726, The British Apollo: containing two thous: “This proceedeth from the variety of air (commonly found…”
Equivalent to albus + -escent
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *albʰós ‘white’
through Proto-Italic *alβos ‘white’
albumin, albedo, albumen, 25 more
through Latin albus ‘white’
Today it means
adj Becoming white or whitish; moderately white.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *albʰós / albescent