Where does “hyperbola” come from?
Hyperbola comes from Ancient Greek ὑπερβολή, derived from βάλλω meaning "to throw," combined with the prefix upér meaning "over," ultimately from Proto-Indo-European gʷelH-.
hyperbola (English): A conic section formed by the intersection of a...
Definitions
- A conic section formed by the intersection of a...
Ancestry of “hyperbola”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ancient Greek | ὑπερβολή | overshooting; superiority; excess, extremity |
| 2 | Ancient Greek | ὑπερβάλλω | to go beyond, exceed |
| 3 | Ancient Greek | ὑπερ- | over-, super- |
| 4 | Ancient Greek | ὑπέρ | for; over-much, above measure |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | upér | above; over |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | upó | under, below |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | h₃ewp- | — |