Where does “cybernetics” come from?
Cybernetics derives from Ancient Greek κυβερνητικός, from κυβερνητική τέχνη meaning the art of steering or governing, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European -tis.
cybernetics (English): The theory/science of communication and control...
Definitions
- The theory/science of communication and control...
Ancestry of “cybernetics”, step by step
cybernetics traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Ancient Greek κυβερνήτης
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ancient Greek | κυβερνήτης | captain, steersman, pilot, navigator; guide,... |
| 2 | Ancient Greek | -τής | Appended to verbs to form agent nouns |
| 3 | Ancient Greek | πεῖρα | trial, experiment, attempt |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | per- | before, in front; first; to go through |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | pr̥tós | passed , crossed |
via French cybernétique
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | French | cybernétique | cybernetics; cybernetic |
| 2 | Ancient Greek | κυβερνητικός | good at steering |
| 3 | Ancient Greek | κυβερνάω | to steer, drive, am a steersman, pilot; to guide,... |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | kʷerb- | to rotate, turn, turn around; to turn |