Etymograph

English

cerebellum

Cerebellum comes from Latin cerebellum ‘a little brain’, and goes back to Proto-Indo-European *ḱerh₂-.

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*ḱerh₂-1reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*ḱerh₂srom1reconstructed
  3. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*kerazrom1‘brain’reconstructed
  4. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEcerebrum2‘brain’
  5. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEcerebellum3‘a little brain’
  6. Englishearliest quotation 2019cerebellum3

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor

  1. 1 Wiktionary, Latin cerebrum
  2. 2 Wiktionary, Latin cerebellum
  3. 3 Wiktionary, English cerebellum
  4. Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: 2019, Bill Bryson, The Body: A Guide for Occupants: “Although the cerebellum occupies just 10 per cent of…”.

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*ḱerh₂-Wiktionary, Latin cerebrumreconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*ḱerh₂sromWiktionary, Latin cerebrumreconstructed
  3. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*kerazromWiktionary, Latin cerebrum‘brain’reconstructed
  4. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEcerebrumWiktionary, Latin cerebellum‘brain’
  5. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEcerebellumWiktionary, English cerebellum‘a little brain’
  6. Englishearliest quotation 2019cerebellumWiktionary, English cerebellum. Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: 2019, Bill Bryson, The Body: A Guide for Occupants: “Although the cerebellum occupies just 10 per cent of…”

Linked words

through Proto-Indo-European *ḱerh₂-

horn, hart, cheer, grail, crater, migraine, corny, cornea, carotid, cairn, cornet, procrastinate, cranium, keratin, rother, 53 more

Today it means

noun Part of the hindbrain in vertebrates. In humans it lies between the brainstem and the back of the cerebrum and is formed of two lateral lobes and a median lobe. It plays an important role in sensory perception, motor output, balance and posture.

Sources

Sources: Wiktionary, “cerebellum”; the older steps come from the Wiktionary entries for Latin cerebrum, Latin cerebellum. By Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0, via kaikki.org (dump of Oct 3 2026); text adapted and restructured. Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word. License.

Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *ḱerh₂- / cerebellum

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