vernal

The story

1. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*wósr̥“spring”
2. Latin · derived fromvernālis“(rare) of or pertaining to spring; vernal”
3. English todayvernal

PIE word *wósr̥ From Latin vernālis (“(rare) of or pertaining to spring; vernal”), from vērnus (“of or pertaining to spring; vernal”) + -ālis (suffix forming adjectives of relationship). Vērnus is derived from vēr (“season of spring”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *wósr̥ (“spring”)) + -nus (suffix forming adjectives). The English word is cognate with Old French vernal (modern French vernal), Italian vernale (“pertaining to spring; vernal”), Occitan vernal, Portuguese vernal (“pertaining to spring; vernal”), Spanish vernal (“pertaining to spring; vernal”).

Words from the same roots

First known use, by meaning

• from mid 16th c. Pertaining to or occurring in spring.