Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “astro-” come from?

astro- (English) comes from Ancient Greek ἄστρον, from Ancient Greek ἀστήρ, from Proto-Hellenic astḗr, from Proto-Indo-European h₂stḗr, from Proto-Indo-European h₂eHs- — to be/become dry; to burn, to glow; hearth.

astro- (English): celestial bodies: fixed stars, wandering stars ,...

Definitions

  1. celestial bodies: fixed stars, wandering stars ,...

Ancestry of “astro-”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Ancient GreekἄστρονA celestial body
2Ancient Greekἀστήρa celestial body; illustrious person; starfish
3Proto-Hellenicastḗrstar
4Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂stḗrstar
5Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂eHs-to be/become dry; to burn, to glow; hearth

Words derived from “astro-”

  • astronaut
  • prognosis
  • astrophysics
  • prognostic
  • Gnostic
  • astrophysical
  • Gnosticism
  • astrocytoma
  • agnosticism
  • astrocyte
  • gnostic
  • astrocytic
  • astrophysicist
  • gnosis
  • astrometric
  • gnosticism
  • prognosticate
  • astrobiology
  • prognosticator
  • astroglial
  • astrometry
  • prognostically
  • astronautics
  • gnoseology
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂eHs- →