English
sciurine
Sciurine comes from Latin sciūrus ‘squirrel’, and goes back to Ancient Greek σκίουρος.
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEσκίουροςskíouros‘squirrel’
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEsciūrus‘squirrel’
- Englishtodaysciurine
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEσκίουροςskíouros‘squirrel’
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEsciūrus‘squirrel’
- Englishtodaysciurine
A compound of σκιά ‘shadow’ + οὐρά ‘tail’
Proto-Indo-European *(s)ḱeh₃- ‘darkness, shadow’
Proto-Indo-European *(s)ḱeh₃ih₂ ‘shadow’
Ancient Greek σκιά ‘shadow’
Proto-Indo-European *h₁ers- ‘tail, butt’
Ancient Greek οὐρά ‘tail’
Linked words
through Latin sciūrus ‘squirrel’
Today it means
adj Pertaining to or characteristic of squirrels.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Ancient Greek σκίουρος / sciurine