Where does “timbre” come from?
timbre (Bikol Central) comes from Spanish timbre, from French timbre, from Old French timbre, from Latin tympanum, from Ancient Greek τύμπανον, from Ancient Greek τύπτω, from Proto-Indo-European (s)tewp-, from Proto-Indo-European (s)tew- — to push, to hit.
Ancestry of “timbre”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Spanish | timbre | bell; doorbell; stamp |
| 2 | French | timbre | small bell; stamp, postage stamp; stamp |
| 3 | Old French | timbre | timbrel |
| 4 | Latin | tympanum | drum, timbrel, tambour, tambourine |
| 5 | Ancient Greek | τύμπανον | drum, kettledrum; drumstick, staff, cudgel;... |
| 6 | Ancient Greek | τύπτω | to beat, strike, smite; to beat, strike oneself |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | (s)tewp- | to push, to stick |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | (s)tew- | to push, to hit |