Etymograph

English

fossorial

Fossorial comes from Latin fossōrius ‘adapted for digging or delving’, from fodiō ‘dig’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *bʰedʰh₂-.

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*bʰedʰh₂-‘to dig, burrow’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*bʰódʰh₂eyreconstructed
  3. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*foðjō‘to pierce’reconstructed
  4. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEfodiō‘dig’
  5. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEfossōrius‘adapted for digging or delving’
  6. Englishearliest quotation 2006fossorial

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*bʰedʰh₂-‘to dig, burrow’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*bʰódʰh₂eyreconstructed
  3. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*foðjō‘to pierce’reconstructed
  4. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEfodiō‘dig’
  5. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEfossōrius‘adapted for digging or delving’
  6. Englishearliest quotation 2006fossorial

Earliest quotation: 2006, Kenneth D. Rose, The Beginning of the Age of Mammals: “The most specialized fossorial mammals (moles, marsupial mole) are…”

Linked words

through Proto-Indo-European *bʰedʰh₂- ‘to dig, burrow’

bed, battle, combat, battery, bat, 12 more

through Latin fodiō ‘dig’

fossil, 7 more

Today it means

adj Of, pertaining to, or adapted for digging or burrowing.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *bʰedʰh₂- / fossorial

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