Etymograph

English

instantaneous

Instantaneous comes from Latin īnstō ‘to stand upon, set foot on’, and goes back to Proto-Indo-European *steh₂-.

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*steh₂-‘to stand (up)’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*sth₂éh₁yeti‘to stand’reconstructed
  3. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*staējōreconstructed
  4. Proto-Italic, derivedc. 1500–700 BCE*staēō‘to stand’reconstructed
  5. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEstō‘to stand’
  6. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEīnstō‘to stand upon, set foot on’
  7. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEīnstantem
  8. New Latinc. 1500–1900īnstāntāneus
  9. Englishearliest quotation 1631instantaneous

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*steh₂-‘to stand (up)’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*sth₂éh₁yeti‘to stand’reconstructed
  3. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*staējōreconstructed
  4. Proto-Italic, derivedc. 1500–700 BCE*staēō‘to stand’reconstructed
  5. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEstō‘to stand’
  6. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEīnstō‘to stand upon, set foot on’
  7. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEīnstantem
  8. New Latinc. 1500–1900īnstāntāneus
  9. Englishearliest quotation 1631instantaneous

Earliest quotation: 1631, William Twisse: “This instantaneous motion is supposed by you, to be…”

Linked words

through Proto-Indo-European *steh₂- ‘to stand (up)’

state, system, post, stay, stand, stood, stadium, constitution, assist, contest, stable, stem, consistent, resist, testimony, destination, destiny, static, persistent, consist, prostitution, stud, insist, prostitute, persist, stool, substitution, attest, stale, armistice, restitution, stead, subsistence, solstice, testimonial, astute, stamina, destitute, desist, stow, 141 more

through Proto-Italic *staējō

establishment, instability, 15 more

through Proto-Italic *staēō ‘to stand’

arrest, establish, stability, stationary, restive, distantly, 17 more

through Latin stō ‘to stand’

rest, stage, station, distance, substance, distant, distal, extant, obstetric, oust, 26 more

through Latin īnstō ‘to stand upon, set foot on’

instantiation, 3 more

Today it means

adj Occurring, arising, or functioning without any delay; happening within an imperceptibly brief period of time.

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

Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *steh₂- / instantaneous

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