Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “eigenvector” come from?

Eigenvector comes from German eigen- meaning "own" combined with English vector, which derives from Latin vector, the agent noun of veho meaning "to carry," ultimately from Proto-Indo-European weǵʰ-.

eigenvector (English): given a linear transformation formula_1, a vector...

Definitions

  1. given a linear transformation formula_1, a vector...

Ancestry of “eigenvector”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1GermanEigenvektoreigenvector
2Germaneigenown, peculiar or private to someone,...
3Middle High Germaneigen—
4Old High Germaneiganown; possession, property
5Proto-West Germanicaiganto possess, to own, to have; own
6Proto-Germanic*aiganą—
7Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂eh₂óyḱeto possess, to own
8Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂eyḱ-to possess, to own
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂eyḱ- →