Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “cyclopean” come from?

cyclopean (English) comes from English cyclops, from Latin cyclops, from Ancient Greek κύκλωψ, from Proto-Hellenic kúklōps, from Proto-Indo-European pḱú-klōps — cattle thief.

cyclopean (English): Suggestive of a cyclops; Fitted together of huge...

Definitions

  1. Suggestive of a cyclops; Fitted together of huge...

Ancestry of “cyclopean”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishcyclopsA one-eyed giant from Greek and Roman mythology;...
2LatincyclopsA cyclops; a one-eyed giant from Greek and Roman...
3Ancient GreekκύκλωψCyclops
4Proto-Hellenickúklōps—
5Proto-Indo-Europeanpḱú-klōpscattle thief
Every word from Proto-Indo-European pḱú-klōps →