Etymology

anal

a·nal
A1N1A1L1

Today it means: Of, related to, intended for or involving the anus. Full definition →

Latin ānālis ← Proto-Indo-European *h₂élisder.? ← Proto-Italic *ānos
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The story

  1. Proto-Indo-European*h₁eh₂nos
  2. Proto-Italic*ānos
  3. Latinānus
  4. Proto-Indo-European*h₂el-
  5. Proto-Indo-European*h₂élisder.?
  6. Latinānālis
  7. English todayanal

Borrowed from Latin ānālis. By surface analysis, anus + -al. Psychological sense shortened from anal-retentive.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.