Etymograph

English

ulterior

Ulterior comes from Latin ulterior ‘further, more distant’, from ulter ‘that is beyond’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₂el- ‘to grow, nourish’.

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂el-‘to grow, nourish’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂ol-tero-reconstructed
  3. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*olterosreconstructed
  4. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEulter‘that is beyond’
  5. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEulterior‘further, more distant’
  6. Englishearliest quotation 1782ulterior

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂el-‘to grow, nourish’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂ol-tero-reconstructed
  3. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*olterosreconstructed
  4. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEulter‘that is beyond’
  5. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEulterior‘further, more distant’
  6. Englishearliest quotation 1782ulterior

Earliest quotation: 1782, an American: “Their noble and grand Mightineſſes have thereby not only…”

Linked words

through Proto-Indo-European *h₂el- ‘to grow, nourish’

as, all, old, else, el, element, adult, alien, ellen, ultimate, alumni, elder, outrage, ultra, ou, qualification, altitude, alpine, alternate, altar, adolescent, alt, abolish, alias, alter, alum, alto, alibi, alimony, alp, retaliate, parallax, proletariat, altruism, auld, coalesce, foetal, exalt, althea, aad, 67 more

Today it means

adj Situated beyond, or on the farther side.

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

Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *h₂el- / ulterior

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