Where does “dynamo” come from?
Dynamo comes from the Greek dynamis meaning "power" or "force," combined with the English suffix -o in the coinage dynamo-electric machine to describe a generator producing electric current through mechanical power.
dynamo (English): An electricity generator, a dynamo-electric...
Definitions
- An electricity generator, a dynamo-electric...
Ancestry of “dynamo”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | German | dynamoelektrische Maschine | — |
| 2 | Ancient Greek | δύναμις | power, might, strength; ability, skill; power,... |
| 3 | Ancient Greek | δύναμαι | deponent; to be able, capable, strong enough to... |
| 4 | Proto-Hellenic | *dunamai | — |