Etymology Explorer › Ancient Greek

Where does “καταχρηστικός” come from?

καταχρηστικός (Ancient Greek) comes from Ancient Greek κατάχρησις, from Ancient Greek καταχράομαι, from Ancient Greek κατά, from Ancient Greek καταστερίζω, from Ancient Greek ἀστήρ, from Proto-Hellenic astḗr, from Proto-Indo-European h₂stḗr, from Proto-Indo-European h₂eHs- — to be/become dry; to burn, to glow; hearth.

Ancestry of “καταχρηστικός”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Ancient Greekκατάχρησιςanalogical use of a word
2Ancient Greekκαταχράομαιto make full use of; to misuse, abuse
3Ancient Greekκατά
4Ancient Greekκαταστερίζωto place among the stars; I put among the stars
5Ancient Greekἀστήρa celestial body; illustrious person; starfish
6Proto-Hellenicastḗrstar
7Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂stḗrstar
8Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂eHs-to be/become dry; to burn, to glow; hearth

Words derived from “καταχρηστικός”

  • catachrestic
  • catachrestically
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂eHs- →