Where does “ecphrastic” come from?
ecphrastic (English) comes from English ecphrasis, from English ekphrasis, from Ancient Greek ἔκφρασις, from Ancient Greek -σῐς, from Ancient Greek -τις, from Proto-Indo-European -tis — Derives abstract/action nouns from verb roots.
ecphrastic (English): Pertaining to ecphrasis; clear, lucid
Definitions
- Pertaining to ecphrasis; clear, lucid
Ancestry of “ecphrastic”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | ecphrasis | Alternative spelling of ekphrasis |
| 2 | English | ekphrasis | A clear, intense, self-contained argument or... |
| 3 | Ancient Greek | ἔκφρασις | description; ekphrasis |
| 4 | Ancient Greek | -σῐς | "suffix forming nouns" |
| 5 | Ancient Greek | -τις | retained after dentals |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | -tis | Derives abstract/action nouns from verb roots |