English
altricial
Altricial comes from New Latin Altrices, from altor ‘nourisher’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₂el-.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂el-‘to grow, nourish’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂életi‘grow, nourish’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*alōroot as named · steps between not traced
- New Latinc. 1500–1900alōas alere‘to nourish’
- New Latin, derivedc. 1500–1900altor‘nourisher’
- New Latin, derivedc. 1500–1900Altrices
- Englishearliest quotation 2001altricial
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂el-‘to grow, nourish’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂életi‘grow, nourish’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*alōroot as named · steps between not traced
- New Latinc. 1500–1900alōas alere‘to nourish’
- New Latin, derivedc. 1500–1900altor‘nourisher’
- New Latin, derivedc. 1500–1900Altrices
- Englishearliest quotation 2001altricial
Earliest quotation: 2001, Gonyou, Keeling & Keeling: “Altricial young are typical among carnivores, which might be…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *h₂el- ‘to grow, nourish’
as, all, old, else, adult, el, element, ultimate, alien, elder, ellen, ultra, ou, alternate, alumni, outrage, qualification, alter, adolescent, altitude, abolish, alpine, altar, alt, alias, alum, alto, auld, alibi, alp, retaliate, proletariat, parallax, ulterior, coalesce, altruism, foetal, aad, eld, exalt, 66 more
through New Latin alō ‘to nourish’
Today it means
adj Helpless at birth (of young animals); or having young which are helpless at birth.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *h₂el- / altricial