English
versant
Versant comes from Latin versō, from vertō ‘to turn’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *wert-.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*wert-‘to turn, to rotate, spin’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*wertō‘to turn’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEvertō‘to turn’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEversōfrequentative of vertō
- Frenchc. 1600–presentversant
- Englishearliest quotation 1822same form
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*wert-‘to turn, to rotate, spin’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*wertō‘to turn’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEvertō‘to turn’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEversōfrequentative of vertō
- Frenchc. 1600–presentversant
- Englishearliest quotation 1822same form
Earliest quotation: 1822, Sydney Smith, Prisons: “This practice is so utterly ridiculous to any body…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *wert- ‘to turn, to rotate, spin’
word, worth, weird, ridiculous, universe, ridicule, derision, invert, deride, derisive, wurst, extraversion, 55 more
through Proto-Italic *wertō ‘to turn’
adverse, diversion, inverse, inversion, aversion, transverse, perverse, averse, vertebra, introvert, perversion, reversion, evert, vertiginous, 38 more
through Latin vertō ‘to turn’
university, version, divorce, diversity, vertical, versus, diverse, vortex, verse, advertisement, convertible, advert, divert, revert, pervert, adversity, diversification, vertex, vertigo, avert, vertebrate, subvert, vert, verso, perversity, 51 more
through Latin versō
Today it means
adj Experienced, practiced.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *wert- / versant