Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “cephalo-” come from?

cephalo- (English) comes from Ancient Greek κεφαλή, from Latin Taxus, from Ancient Greek εἶδος, from Spanish -scopio, from Latin -scopium, from Ancient Greek σκοπέω, from Ancient Greek σκοπός, from Ancient Greek σκέπτομαι — to see, to look, to observe.

cephalo- (English): relating to the brain or head

Definitions

  1. relating to the brain or head

Ancestry of “cephalo-”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Ancient Greekκεφαλήhead; a person's life; the top-most part
2LatinTaxusyew
3Ancient GreekεἶδοςThat which is seen: form, image, shape;...
4Spanish-scopio-scope
5Latin-scopium—
6Ancient GreekσκοπέωI look, look at, behold; I examine, inspect; 413...
7Ancient Greekσκοπόςwatcher, lookout; protector, guardian; spy, scout
8Ancient GreekσκέπτομαιI look at, examine; I examine, consider, think
9Proto-Hellenicsképťomaito look at
10Proto-Indo-Europeanspéḱyetito be looking at, to keep looking at
11Proto-Indo-Europeanspeḱ-to see, to look, to observe

Words derived from “cephalo-”

  • encephalopathy
  • cephalad
  • encephalomyelitis
  • electroencephalographic
  • electroencephalography
  • lissencephaly
  • cephalothorax
  • diencephalic
  • encephalocele
  • encephalon
  • magnetoencephalography
  • electroencephalograph
  • rhombencephalon
  • encephalic
  • metencephalon
  • encephaloid
  • encephalomalacia
  • encephalization
  • myelencephalon
  • cephalopelvic
  • encephalopathic
  • cephalocaudal
  • cephalization
  • encephalography
Every word from Proto-Indo-European speḱ- →