Where does “epithet” come from?
Epithet comes from Middle French épithète, from Latin epitheton, from Ancient Greek ἐπίθετον, meaning "placed upon," derived from ἐπιτίθημι and ultimately from the root τίθημι meaning "to place."
epithet (English): A term used to characterize a person or thing; A...
Definitions
- A term used to characterize a person or thing; A...
Ancestry of “epithet”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle French | épithète | epithet |
| 2 | Latin | epitheton | epithet |
| 3 | Ancient Greek | ἐπίθετον | adjective |
| 4 | Ancient Greek | ἐπιτίθημι | to lay, put or place upon; to put on a covering... |
| 5 | Ancient Greek | ἐπι- | on, upon, on top of, all over, covering; on,... |
| 6 | Ancient Greek | ἐπί | as well, besides; For usage in composition, see... |
| 7 | Ancient Greek | Ἡμέρα | — |
| 8 | Ancient Greek | ἦμαρ | day; by day; midday |
| 9 | Proto-Hellenic | ā́mər | day |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂eh₃mr̥ | heat |
| 11 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂eh₃- | to be hot; to burn |