Where does “idea” come from?

Idea comes from Latin idea, from Ancient Greek ἰδέα, from Proto-Indo-European weyd- meaning to see or know.

idea (English): An abstract archetype of a given thing, compared...

Definitions

  1. An abstract archetype of a given thing, compared...

Ancestry of “idea”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Latinideaidea; prototype
2Ancient Greekἰδέαform, shape; look, appearance, semblance; type,...
3Ancient Greekεἴδωto see; I see
4Proto-Indo-Europeanweyd-to see

Words derived from “idea”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European weyd- →Every word from Ancient Greek εἴδω →Every word from Ancient Greek ἰδέα →