English
innocuity
Innocuity comes from Latin innocuus ‘harmless, innocuous’, from nocuus ‘harmful’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *neḱ- ‘to perish, disappear’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*neḱ-‘to perish, disappear’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*noḱéyeti‘to make disappear, to cause death’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*nokeō‘to harm, hurt, injure’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEnoceō‘to harm, damage’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEnocuus‘harmful’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEinnocuus‘harmless, innocuous’
- Englishtodayinnocuity
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*neḱ-‘to perish, disappear’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*noḱéyeti‘to make disappear, to cause death’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*nokeō‘to harm, hurt, injure’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEnoceō‘to harm, damage’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEnocuus‘harmful’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEinnocuus‘harmless, innocuous’
- Englishtodayinnocuity
Formed from innocuus + -ity
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *neḱ- ‘to perish, disappear’
nectar, obnoxious, necropolis, internecine, 19 more
through Latin noceō ‘to harm, damage’
Today it means
noun innocuousness
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *neḱ- / innocuity