English
vertebrate
Vertebrate comes from Latin vertebrātus ‘jointed’, from vertō ‘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‘turn’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEvertebra‘joint’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEvertebrātus‘jointed’
- Englishtodayvertebrate
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor
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‘turn’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEvertebra‘joint’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEvertebrātus‘jointed’
- Englishtodayvertebrate
The story
Adapted borrowing of French vertébré, from Latin vertebrātus (‘jointed’) (see -ate (adjective-forming suffix) for more).
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *wert- ‘to turn, to rotate, spin’
word, worth, weird, ridiculous, universe, ridicule, derision, wurst, deride, invert, derisive, extraversion, 58 more
through Proto-Italic *wertō ‘to turn’
adverse, diversion, inverse, inversion, aversion, perverse, transverse, averse, perversion, reversion, 41 more
through Latin vertō ‘turn’
university, version, divorce, conversation, diversity, versus, diverse, verse, vertical, advertisement, versatile, convertible, vortex, adversity, advert, diversification, divert, revert, pervert, vertigo, avert, introvert, subvert, verso, evert, perversity, vertiginous, 50 more
Today it means
adj Having a backbone.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *wert- / vertebrate