Natant
/ˈneɪ.tənt/noun
Floating or swimming, especially on the surface of water.
Did you know?Natant comes from Latin natāre, “to swim,” a verb connected with an ancient Indo-European water-motion root also seen in Sanskrit language traditions.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*sneh₂-
“To swim or move through water; the reconstructed ancestral root commonly associated with Latin natāre.”
Classical Latin
Latin
natāre
“To swim, float, or be carried on water.”
Classical Latin
Latin
natāns
“Swimming or floating; the present participle of natāre.”
17th Century
English
natant
“Floating or swimming; adopted as a learned scientific and literary adjective from Latin.”
Modern English
English
natant
“Floating or swimming, especially on water; now chiefly literary, poetic, or technical.”
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