Where does “hyena” come from?
Hyena comes from Middle English hiena, from Medieval Latin hyena, from Latin hyaena, from Ancient Greek ὕαινα, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European roots related to sew- meaning pig or swine.
hyena (English): Any of the medium-sized to large feliform...
Definitions
- Any of the medium-sized to large feliform...
Ancestry of “hyena”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | hiena | — |
| 2 | Medieval Latin | hyena | — |
| 3 | Latin | hyaena | a hyena |
| 4 | Ancient Greek | ὕαινα | hyena |
| 5 | Ancient Greek | ὗς | pig, swine, hog |
| 6 | Latin | intestinalis | intestinal; pertaining to the intestine |
| 7 | Latin | intestīnum | guts, intestines, entrails of the abdomen |
| 8 | Latin | intestīnus | internal in various senses, namely |
| 9 | Latin | intus | within, inside; at home |
| 10 | Latin | în | in, at, on, upon, from (space) |
| 11 | Latin | en | lookǃ beholdǃ; reallyǃ?; come onǃ |
| 12 | Proto-Italic | en | in |
| 13 | Proto-Indo-European | h₁én | in |