Where does “16-cell” come from?

16-cell (English) comes from English cell, from English cell phone, from English cellular phone, from English phone, from English telephone, from French téléphone, from French télé-, from Ancient Greek τῆλε — whale, sea monster; abyss.

16-cell (English): A four-dimensional polytope, analogous to an...

Definitions

  1. A four-dimensional polytope, analogous to an...

Ancestry of “16-cell”, step by step

16-cell traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English cell

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishcellA single-room dwelling for a hermit; A small...
2Englishcell phoneA portable, wireless telephone, which changes...
3Englishcellular phoneA mobile phone using cellular technology; A...
4EnglishphoneA device for transmitting conversations and other...
5EnglishtelephoneA telecommunication device used for two-way...
6Frenchtéléphonetelephone; first-person singular present...
7Frenchtélé-tele-
8Ancient Greekτῆλεfar off, afar, far away
9Latincommūnicāre
10Latincommūniscommon, commonplace, ordinary, general, universal, shared, shared alike, of both sides, belonging to two or more together
11Old Latincom(m)oinis
12Proto-Italickommoiniscommon
13Proto-Indo-Europeanḱom-moy-ni-held in common
14Proto-Indo-Europeanḱómbeside, near, by, with
15Proto-Indo-EuropeanḱeDeictic particle, here; Post-positional...
16Middle Englishkyt
17Russianкитwhale; genitive plural of ки́та
18Old Church Slavonicкитъwhale
19Ancient Greekκῆτοςwhale, sea monster; abyss

via English 16

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1English16A verse of 16 lines
Every word from Ancient Greek κῆτος
16-cell — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer