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sem·pi·ter·nal

(sĕm′pĭ-tûrnəl)

adj.

Enduring forever; eternal.

[Middle English, from Old French sempiternel, from Late Latin sempiternālis, from Latin sempiternus : semper, always; see sem-¹ in the Appendix of Indo-European roots + aeternus, eternal; see aiw- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

sem′pi·terni·ty (-nĭ-tē) n.

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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