Where does “Gray” come from?
Gray (English) comes from Latin Graecus, from Ancient Greek Γραικός, from Ancient Greek γραῖα, from Proto-Indo-European ǵerh₂- — to grow old, to mature.
Gray (English): originally a nickname for someone with a gray beard or hair
Definitions
- originally a nickname for someone with a gray beard or hair
Ancestry of “Gray”, step by step
Gray traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Latin Graecus
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Latin | Graecus | Greek, Grecian, of or pertaining to the Greek... |
| 2 | Ancient Greek | Γραικός | Greek; a Graecian, a member of an ancient... |
| 3 | Ancient Greek | γραῖα | Graea, Boeotia; Greece |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | ǵerh₂- | to grow old, to mature |
via English gradus
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | gradus | A handbook used as an aid in a difficult art or... |
| 2 | English | Gradus ad Parnassum | — |