Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “megaphone” come from?

Megaphone comes from English mega- combined with English -phone, from Ancient Greek φωνή meaning "sound" or "voice," from Proto-Indo-European bʰeh₂- meaning "to speak."

megaphone (English): A portable, usually hand-held, funnel-shaped...

Definitions

  1. A portable, usually hand-held, funnel-shaped...

Ancestry of “megaphone”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishphoneA device for transmitting conversations and other...
2EnglishtelephoneA telecommunication device used for two-way...
3Frenchtéléphonetelephone; first-person singular present...
4Frenchtélé-tele-
5Ancient Greekτῆλεfar off, afar, far away
6Latincommūnicāre—
7Latincommūnis—
8Old Latincom(m)oinis—
9Proto-Italickommoinis—
10Proto-Indo-Europeanḱom-moy-ni-held in common
11Proto-Indo-Europeanḱómbeside, near, by, with
12Proto-Indo-EuropeanḱeDeictic particle, here; Post-positional...
13Middle Englishkyt—
14Germankitt—
15Old High Germankuti—
16Proto-West Germanickwidugum, resin
17Proto-Germanickweduzresin
18Proto-Indo-Europeangʷet-resin, gum; to say, speak
19Proto-Indo-Europeangū-to bend; curve; arch; vault; to bow, bend, arch,...

Words derived from “megaphone”

  • megaphonic
  • megaphonist
  • Megafon
Every word from Proto-Indo-European gū- →