Where does “hexagram” come from?
Hexagram comes from Ancient Greek ἕξ meaning "six" and Ancient Greek γράμμα meaning "letter" or "written mark," from Ancient Greek γράφω meaning "to write," ultimately from Proto-Indo-European ger- meaning "to gather" or "to turn."
hexagram (English): A hollow six-pointed star formed by overlapping...
Definitions
- A hollow six-pointed star formed by overlapping...
Ancestry of “hexagram”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | -gram | Something written, drawn or otherwise recorded |
| 2 | Ancient Greek | γράμμα | that which is written, that which is drawn,... |
| 3 | Ancient Greek | γράφω | to scratch, cut into; to draw, sketch, paint; to... |
| 4 | Proto-Hellenic | grəpʰō | to scratch, cut or carve into |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | gerbʰ- | to carve |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | ger- | to turn, bend, twist, wind; to tie, bind... |