Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “heliophyte” come from?

heliophyte (English) comes from English helio, from English heliotrope, from French héliotrope, from Latin heliotropium, from Ancient Greek ἡλιοτρόπιον, from Ancient Greek Ἥλιος, from Ancient Greek τύπος, from Ancient Greek τύπτω — to push, to hit.

heliophyte (English): Any plant that thrives in bright sunlight

Definitions

  1. Any plant that thrives in bright sunlight

Ancestry of “heliophyte”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishhelioA heliotrope
2EnglishheliotropeA plant that turns so that it faces the sun; A...
3Frenchhéliotropeheliotrope
4Latinheliotropiumheliotrope
5Ancient Greekἡλιοτρόπιονheliotrope; sundial, solar clock; bloodstone, a...
6Ancient GreekἭλιοςsun
7Ancient GreekτύποςA blow, pressing; The results of a blow: mark,...
8Ancient Greekτύπτωto beat, strike, smite; to beat, strike oneself
9Proto-Indo-European(s)tewp-to push, to stick
10Proto-Indo-European(s)tew-to push, to hit
Every word from Proto-Indo-European (s)tew- →