Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “eon” come from?

Eon comes from Ancient Greek αἰών, derived from Proto-Indo-European h₂eyu-, meaning to live or pass time, ultimately from the root h₂ey-.

eon (English): Eternity; A period of 1,000,000,000 years; The...

Definitions

  1. Eternity; A period of 1,000,000,000 years; The...

Ancestry of “eon”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Latinaeōn—
2Ancient Greekαἰώνlifetime; generation; a long period of time, eon,...
3Ancient Greekαἰϝών—
4Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂eyu-vitality; eternal; vital force, life, long life,...
5Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂ey-vital force, life, age, eternity; day, morning

Words derived from “eon”

  • chronological
  • chronology
  • chronologically
  • chronotope
  • geochronology
  • chronotropic
  • chronologic
  • chronometric
  • dendrochronology
  • isochron
  • chron
  • geochronological
  • chronostratigraphic
  • chronotopic
  • chronosequence
  • chronometry
  • dendrochronological
  • chronostratigraphy
  • chronogram
  • chronoscope
  • chronologist
  • chronography
  • glottochronology
  • thermochronology
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂ey- →