Where does “zeta” come from?
zeta (Basque) comes from Spanish zeta, from Old Spanish ceda, from Latin zēta, from Ancient Greek ζῆτα, from Phoenician 𐤆, from Egyptian ?.
zeta (Basque): The name of the Latin-script letter Z; zeta; silk
Definitions
- The name of the Latin-script letter Z; zeta; silk
Ancestry of “zeta”, step by step
zeta traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Spanish zeta
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Spanish | zeta | the letter Z; zeta; the Greek letter Ζ, ζ; theta;... |
| 2 | Old Spanish | ceda | The name of the Latin-script letter Z |
| 3 | Latin | zēta | — |
| 4 | Ancient Greek | ζῆτα | zeta, the name for the sixth letter Ζ, ζ of the... |
| 5 | Phoenician | 𐤆 | this |
| 6 | Egyptian | ? | — |
via Latin saeta
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Latin | saeta | a bristle, hair on an animal; silk |
| 2 | Proto-Italic | saitā | — |
| 3 | Proto-Indo-European | séh₂ito- | — |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | sh₂ey- | to bind, fetter |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | seh₂- | to satiate, satisfy |