Where does “harmonica” come from?
Harmonica comes from German Harmonika, a musical instrument whose ultimate origin remains uncertain.
harmonica (English): a musical wind instrument with a series of holes...
Definitions
- a musical wind instrument with a series of holes...
Ancestry of “harmonica”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Italian | armonica | armonica, glass harmonica; harmonica, mouth... |
| 2 | English | armonica | A musical instrument made of blown-glass bowls... |
| 3 | Italian | armonia | harmony |
| 4 | French | harmonium | harmonium |
| 5 | French | harmonie | harmony |
| 6 | Latin | harmonia | harmony, concordance of sounds; music, singing,... |
| 7 | Ancient Greek | Ἁρμονία | Harmonia |
| 8 | Ancient Greek | -ῐ́ᾱ | {{l|en|-ia}}; "suffix forming abstract feminine... |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | -íh₂ | — |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | -h₂ | Creates collective nouns, which refer to groups... |