Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “chime” come from?

Chime comes from Middle English chime, Old English ċine, Latin cymbalum, Ancient Greek κύμβαλον, derived from κύμβη meaning a cup or vessel, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European sek-.

chime (English): A musical instrument producing a sound when...

Definitions

  1. A musical instrument producing a sound when...

Ancestry of “chime”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishchymbe—
2Middle Englishchimbelle—
3Old Englishċimbala—
4Latincymbalumcymbal; genitive plural of cymbalum
5Ancient Greekκύμβαλονcymbal
6Ancient GreekκύμβηHollow of a vessel: drinking cup, bowl; Synonym...

Words derived from “chime”

  • windchime
  • chimer
  • chimelike
  • chimist
  • chimeless
  • chimeth
  • rechime
  • chimest
Every word from Ancient Greek κύμβη →