English
herpet-
Herpet- comes from Ancient Greek ἑρπετόν ‘serpent, creeping animal, reptile’, and goes back to Proto-Indo-European *serp-.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*serp-‘to creep, crawl’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*sérpeti‘to be creeping, to be crawling’reconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEἕρπωhérpō‘I creep’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEἑρπετόνherpetón‘serpent, creeping animal, reptile’
- Englishtodayherpet-
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*serp-‘to creep, crawl’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*sérpeti‘to be creeping, to be crawling’reconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEἕρπωhérpō‘I creep’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEἑρπετόνherpetón‘serpent, creeping animal, reptile’
- Englishtodayherpet-
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *serp- ‘to creep, crawl’
through Proto-Indo-European *sérpeti ‘to be creeping, to be crawling’
Another origin of herpet-
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*serp-‘to creep, crawl’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*sérpeti‘to be creeping, to be crawling’reconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEἕρπωhérpō‘I creep’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEἕρπηςhérpēs‘a creeping, shingles’
- Englishtodayherpet-
Today it means
prefix reptile
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *serp- / herpet-