Proto-language
noun
noun ·Rare ·Advanced level
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A language which is reconstructed by examining similarities in existing languages in order to deduce the form and aspects of a common ancestor language that is no longer known. countable, uncountable
- 2 The early utterances produced by an infant before it acquires a true language. countable, uncountable
Example
More examples"A group of languages related via a common ancestor, or proto-language, is referred to as a language family."
Etymology
From proto- + language.