Pinnate
/ˈpɪn.eɪt/noun
Having feather-like leaflets arranged on either side of a central axis.
Did you know?Pinnate comes from Latin *pinnatus*, “feathered,” from *pinna* “feather” or “wing,” and that same ancient root also lives in words like *pinnacle* and *pinnacle*-related forms through the idea of pointed, feather-like projection.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*pet-
“to fly, fall, or rush”
Latin
Latin
pinna
“feather, wing; also a pointed projection”
Latin
Latin
pinnatus
“feathered; winged”
Late Middle English
English
pinate / pinnate
“feather-shaped; arranged like a feather”
Modern English
English
pinnate
“having leaflets arranged on either side of a central axis like a feather”