English
amentiform
Amentiform comes from Latin amentum ‘a strap or thong, especially one used to…’, and goes back to Proto-Indo-European *h₂ep- ‘to join, fit’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂ep-‘to join, fit’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEamentum‘a strap or thong, especially one used to propel a spear or other missile weapon’
- Englishearliest quotation 1835amentiform
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂ep-‘to join, fit’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEamentum‘a strap or thong, especially one used to propel a spear or other missile weapon’
- Englishearliest quotation 1835amentiform
Earliest quotation: 1835, Gilbert Thomas Burnett, Outlines of Botany: “The inflorescence in these associated genera is in (catkins,…”
Formed from amentum + -form
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *h₂ep- ‘to join, fit’
attitude, apex, apt, ape, aptitude, aven, attitudinal, 21 more
Today it means
adj Shaped like a catkin.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *h₂ep- / amentiform