Etymology Explorer › Ancient Greek

Where does “χειρονομία” come from?

χειρονομία (Ancient Greek) comes from Ancient Greek χειρονόμος, from Ancient Greek νόμος, from Ancient Greek νέμω, from Proto-Indo-European némos, from Proto-Indo-European nem- — to distribute; to give, to take.

χειρονομία (Ancient Greek): gesticulation

Definitions

  1. gesticulation

Ancestry of “χειρονομία”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Ancient Greekχειρονόμοςone who moves the hands in pantomimic gestures, a...
2Ancient Greekνόμοςusage, custom; law, ordinance; melody, strain
3Ancient Greekνέμωto deal out, distribute, dispense; to pasture or...
4Proto-Indo-Europeannémossacrifice, worship; place of sacrifice, clearing
5Proto-Indo-Europeannem-to distribute; to give, to take

Words derived from “χειρονομία”

  • chironomy
  • chironomic
  • chironomer
Every word from Proto-Indo-European nem- →