Where does “Chimera” come from?

Chimera comes from Ancient Greek χῐ́μαιρᾰ, a mythological creature combining features of different animals.

Chimera (English): A supposed fire-breathing monster in Lycia with the head of a lion, body of a goat, and tail of a dragon or snake, killed by the hero Bellerophon

Definitions

  1. A supposed fire-breathing monster in Lycia with the head of a lion, body of a goat, and tail of a dragon or snake, killed by the hero Bellerophon

Ancestry of “Chimera”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishchimere—
2Frenchchimèrechimera; chimaera
3LatinchimaeraChimera
4Ancient Greekχίμαιραa she-goat
5Proto-Indo-Europeanǵʰéyōmwinter; year; frost, snow
6Proto-Indo-European-ōmemphatic suffix or postpositive particle
7Proto-Indo-European-mi—

Words derived from “Chimera”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European -mi →Every word from Proto-Indo-European -ōm →Every word from Proto-Indo-European ǵʰéyōm →