Where does “apothegm” come from?
apothegm (English) comes from French apophthegme, from Medieval Latin apothegma, from Ancient Greek ἀπόφθεγμα, from Ancient Greek ἀποφθέγγομαι, from Ancient Greek ἀπο-, from Ancient Greek ἀπό, from Ancient Greek Ἥλιος, from Ancient Greek τύπος — to push, to hit.
apothegm (English): A short, witty, instructive saying; an aphorism...
Definitions
- A short, witty, instructive saying; an aphorism...
Ancestry of “apothegm”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | French | apophthegme | Archaic spelling of apophtegme |
| 2 | Medieval Latin | apothegma | — |
| 3 | Ancient Greek | ἀπόφθεγμα | a thing uttered; especially a terse, pointed... |
| 4 | Ancient Greek | ἀποφθέγγομαι | to speak my opinion plainly, boldly declare; to... |
| 5 | Ancient Greek | ἀπο- | Indicating movement: away, from, off; Indicating... |
| 6 | Ancient Greek | ἀπό | from, away from; because of, as a result of |
| 7 | Ancient Greek | Ἥλιος | sun |
| 8 | Ancient Greek | τύπος | A blow, pressing; The results of a blow: mark,... |
| 9 | Ancient Greek | τύπτω | to beat, strike, smite; to beat, strike oneself |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | (s)tewp- | to push, to stick |
| 11 | Proto-Indo-European | (s)tew- | to push, to hit |