Where does “archaic” come from?
Archaic derives from Ancient Greek ἀρχαῖος, meaning "ancient or old," from ἀρχή "beginning," ultimately from Proto-Indo-European h₂ergʰ- "to begin or start."
archaic (English): A general term for the prehistoric period...
Definitions
- A general term for the prehistoric period...
Ancestry of “archaic”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | French | archaïque | archaic |
| 2 | Latin | archaicus | ancient, old |
| 3 | Ancient Greek | ἀρχαϊκός | old-fashioned |
| 4 | Ancient Greek | ἀρχαῖος | Pertaining to the beginning; ancient, primeval |
| 5 | Ancient Greek | ἀρχή | beginning, origin; sovereignty, dominion,... |
| 6 | Ancient Greek | ἄρχω | To begin; To lead, rule, govern, command; To be... |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂ergʰ- | to begin; to command, rule; to begin, rule,... |