Where does “alphanumeric” come from?
Alphanumeric comes from English numeric combined with English alpha, which derives from Ancient Greek ἄλφα, ultimately from Proto-Semitic ʾalp-.
alphanumeric (English): Consisting of, or limited to, letters and/or...
Definitions
- Consisting of, or limited to, letters and/or...
Ancestry of “alphanumeric”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | numeric | Of or relating to numbers, especially the... |
| 2 | French | numérique | numeric; numerical; digital |
| 3 | French | -ique | Used to form adjectives from nouns: -ic, -ical,... |
| 4 | Middle French | -ique | ic |
| 5 | Old French | -ique | -ic |
| 6 | Latin | -icus | belonging to; derived from; of or pertaining to;... |
| 7 | Proto-Italic | *-ikos | forms adjectives with the sense of 'of or pertaining to' |