Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “clepsydra” come from?

clepsydra (English) comes from Latin clepsydra, from Ancient Greek κλεψύδρα, from Ancient Greek κλέπτω, from Proto-Hellenic klépťō, from Proto-Indo-European klép-ye-ti, from Proto-Indo-European ḱlep-, from Proto-Indo-European klep- — to steal.

clepsydra (English): A water clock, especially as used in the ancient...

Definitions

  1. A water clock, especially as used in the ancient...

Ancestry of “clepsydra”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Latinclepsydrawater clock, clepsydra
2Ancient Greekκλεψύδραpipette; water clock; clepsydra. The ancient form...
3Ancient GreekκλέπτωI steal, filch; I cheat; I mislead, keep secret
4Proto-Hellenicklépťōto steal
5Proto-Indo-Europeanklép-ye-ti—
6Proto-Indo-Europeanḱlep-—
7Proto-Indo-Europeanklep-to steal
Every word from Proto-Indo-European klep- →