Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “acoustics” come from?

Acoustics derives from French acoustique, from Ancient Greek ἀκουστικός, from ἀκούω meaning "to hear," ultimately from Proto-Indo-European roots h₂eḱ- and h₂ew-.

acoustics (English): See -ics regarding the treatment of such nouns as...

Definitions

  1. See -ics regarding the treatment of such nouns as...

Ancestry of “acoustics”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishacousticPertaining to the sense of hearing, the organs of...
2Medieval Latinacousticus—
3Ancient Greekἀκουστῐκός—
4Ancient GreekἀκούωI hear; I hear about, learn; I listen, pay...
5Proto-Hellenicakouhōto hear
6Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂ḱh₂owsyétito be sharp-eared, to hear well
7Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂ṓwsear
8Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂ew-to enjoy; to consume; to perceive, see, to be...

Words derived from “acoustics”

  • hydroacoustics
  • psychoacoustics
  • bioacoustics
  • aeroacoustics
  • electroacoustics
  • photoacoustics
  • catacoustics
  • diacoustics
  • thermoacoustics
  • polyacoustics
  • magnetoacoustics
  • archaeoacoustics
  • radioacoustics
  • otoacoustics
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂ew- →