*pete-

Meanings

1.
spreading, expanding
(Notable English members of that root are "pass", "pace", "expand" and "fathom" (which was about widening the arms to embrace something). The notion of "passing" comes from making a step and may well be based on spreading the legs for it.)
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Word Family

Root: *pete-

The original sense of the root was:

spreading, expanding

The most influential branch is probably the one around “pass” which is based on the idea of extending your leg to make a step. But there are other offspring as well.

Here’s an overview over the various English members of that family:

  • pass (Originally: “taking a step”,  also to take a measure, so there’s a sense of the “expanse” in it)
  • passage, passenger, passport
  • expand, expansive (The root combined with the “ex”-prefix which here expresses “outward”)
  • patent (Originally: “lying open” for an “open letter”)
  • fathom (Originally a measure done by stretching out the arms, then shifted toward embracing, grasping)
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