English
humectant
Humectant comes from Latin ūmectāns ‘moistening’, and goes back to Proto-Italic *ūmo- ‘wet’.
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*ūmo-‘wet’reconstructedearlier origin unknown
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEūmeō‘to be moist’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEūmectus‘moist’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEūmectō‘to moisten’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEūmectāns‘moistening’present participle of ūmectō
- Englishearliest quotation 1911humectant
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*ūmo-‘wet’reconstructedearlier origin unknown
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEūmeō‘to be moist’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEūmectus‘moist’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEūmectō‘to moisten’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEūmectāns‘moistening’present participle of ūmectō
- Englishearliest quotation 1911humectant
Earliest quotation: 1911, Hampton's Magazine: “[…] that you have induced a horrid phlegmatic condition…”
Linked words
through Latin ūmeō ‘to be moist’
Today it means
noun Any substance that promotes the retention of water, especially one used to keep a food product moist.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Italic *ūmo- / humectant