Where does “galaxy” come from?
Galaxy derives from Middle English galaxye, from Old French galaxie, from Latin galaxias, from Ancient Greek γαλαξίας, ultimately from Ancient Greek γάλα meaning milk, tracing back to Proto-Indo-European glakt-.
galaxy (English): The Milky Way; the apparent band of concentrated...
Definitions
- The Milky Way; the apparent band of concentrated...
Ancestry of “galaxy”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle English | galaxye | — |
| 2 | Old French | galaxie | — |
| 3 | Latin | galaxiās | — |
| 4 | Ancient Greek | γαλαξίας | the Milky Way galaxy; tailor's chalk; dogfish |
| 5 | Ancient Greek | γάλα | milk; milky sap; the Milky Way galaxy |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | glakt- | — |
Words derived from “galaxy”