Where does “eclectic” come from?
Eclectic comes from French éclectique, from Ancient Greek ἐκλεκτικός, derived from ἐκλέγω meaning to select or choose out, formed from the prefix ἐκ- and root elements from Proto-Indo-European.
eclectic (English): Selecting a mixture of what appears to be best of...
Definitions
- Selecting a mixture of what appears to be best of...
Ancestry of “eclectic”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | French | éclectique | eclectic |
| 2 | Ancient Greek | ἐκλεκτικός | selective, choosy |
| 3 | Ancient Greek | ἐκλέγω | to pick or single out, to choose; to levy taxes... |
| 4 | Ancient Greek | λέγω | I put in order, arrange, gather; I choose, count,... |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | leǵ- | to gather, collect, with derivatives meaning to... |