Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “bioethics” come from?

Bioethics derives from Ancient Greek βίο- (from βίος, "life") combined with ἠθικός (from ἦθος or ἔθος, "character" or "custom"), ultimately tracing to Proto-Indo-European gʷih₃wós and gʷeih₃w-.

bioethics (English): The branch of ethics that studies the...

Definitions

  1. The branch of ethics that studies the...

Ancestry of “bioethics”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishethicsThe study of principles relating to right and...
2Middle Englishetik—
3Middle Frenchethique—
4Old Frenchethique—
5Latinēthica—
6Late Latinethica—
7Ancient Greekἠθικήfeminine nominative/vocative singular of ἠθικός
8Ancient Greekἠθικόςof or for morals; moral; expressing character
9Ancient Greekἦθοςcharacter; custom, habit
10Ancient Greekἔθοςhabit, custom, manner; disposition, temper;...
11Proto-Indo-Europeanswe-dʰh₁-—
12Proto-Indo-Europeandʰeh₁-to do, put, place

Words derived from “bioethics”

  • bioethicist
Every word from Proto-Indo-European dʰeh₁- →