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Origin and history of *sna-

*sna-

*snā-, Proto-Indo-European root meaning "to swim," with extended form *(s)nāu- "to swim, flow; to let flow," hence "to suckle."

It might form all or part of: Naiad; natant; natation; natatorial; natatorium; nekton; nourish; nurse; nursery; nurture; nutrient; nutriment; nutrition; nutritious; nutritive; supernatant.

It might also be the source of: Sanskrit snati "bathes," snauti "she drips, gives milk;" Avestan snayeite "washes, cleans;" Armenian nay "wet, liquid;" Greek notios "wet, damp," Greek nan "I flow," nekhein "to swim;" Latin nare "to swim," natator "swimmer;" Middle Irish snaim "I swim," snam "a swimming."

Entries linking to *sna-

Naiad(n.)

in Greek and Roman mythology, "water nymph," one of the female deities presiding over springs and streams, c. 1600, from Latin Nais, Naias (genitive naiadis), from Greek Naias (plural Naiades) "river nymph," from naiein "to flow," from PIE *naw-yo-, suffixed form of *(s)nau- "to swim, flow, let flow" (from PIE root *sna- "to swim"). Dryden used the Latin singular form Nais, and the plural Naiades is attested in English from late 14c.

natant(adj.)

"swimming, floating," 1707, from Latin natantem, present participle of natare "to swim," frequentative of nare "to swim" (from PIE root *sna- "to swim"). Related: Natantly.

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nourish
c. 1300, norishen, "to supply with food and drink, feed; to bring up, nurture, promote the growth or development of" (a child, a young animal, a vice, a feeling, etc.), from Old French norriss-, stem of norrir "raise, bring up, nurture, foster; maintain, provide for" (12c., Moder
nurse
c. 1200, norice, nurrice, "wet-nurse, woman who nourishes or suckles an infant; foster-mother to a young child," from Old French norrice "foster-mother, wet-nurse, nanny" (source of proper name Norris), from Late Latin *nutricia "nurse, governess, tutoress," noun use of fem. of L
nursery
c. 1300, noricerie, "place or room for infants and young children and their nurse," from Old French norture, norreture "food, nourishment; education, training," from Late Latin nutritia "a nursing, suckling," from Latin nutrire "to nourish, suckle" (see nourish). From c. 1500 as
cenacle
from Latin cenaculum "dining room," from cena "mid-day meal, afternoon meal," literally "portion of food" (from PIE *kert-sna...
Chersonese
"island," also "(flooded) land near a river, alluvial land," which is of uncertain origin; traditionally from PIE root sna...
ginger
11c., from Old English ginȝifer, ginȝiber, from Late Latin gingiber, from Latin zingiberi, from Greek zingiberis, from Prakrit (Middle Indic) singabera, from Sanskrit srngaveram, from srngam "horn" + vera- "body," so called from the shape of its root. But this may be Sanskrit fol
read
Middle English reden, ireden, "to counsel, advise," also "to read," from Old English rædan, gerædan (West Saxon), redan, geredan (Anglian) "to advise, counsel, persuade; discuss, deliberate; rule, guide; arrange, equip; forebode; to read (observe and apprehend the meaning of some
castor
late 14c., "a beaver," from Old French castor (13c.), from Latin castor "beaver," from Greek kastor "beaver," perhaps literally "he who excels," and thus identical with the name of one of the divine twins (with Pollux), worshipped by women in ancient Greece as a healer and preser
atheist
1570s, "godless person, one who denies the existence of a supreme, intelligent being to whom moral obligation is due," from French athéiste (16c.), from Greek atheos "without god, denying the gods; abandoned of the gods; godless, ungodly," from a- "without" (see a- (3)) + theos "
nail
Old English negel "tapering metal pin," nægl "fingernail (handnægl), toenail," from Proto-Germanic *naglaz (source also of Old Norse nagl "fingernail," nagli "metal nail;" Old Saxon and Old High German nagel, Old Frisian neil, Middle Dutch naghel, Dutch nagel, German Nagel "finge

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