English
maxilla
Maxilla comes from Latin māxilla ‘the jawbone, jaw’, and goes back to Proto-Indo-European *smeḱ- ‘beard’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*smeḱ-‘beard’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*smakslāreconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEmāla‘the cheekbone, jaw’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEmāxilla‘the jawbone, jaw’diminutive of māla
- Englishtodaymaxilla
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*smeḱ-‘beard’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*smakslāreconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEmāla‘the cheekbone, jaw’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEmāxilla‘the jawbone, jaw’diminutive of māla
- Englishtodaymaxilla
Linked words
through Proto-Italic *smakslā
through Latin māla ‘the cheekbone, jaw’
Today it means
noun An upper jaw especially of humans and other mammals in which the bony elements are closely fused.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *smeḱ- / maxilla