Where does “mic” come from?
Mic is a shortening of microphone, which derives from micro- and -phone, ultimately from Greek mikrós meaning small and phōnḗ meaning sound.
mic (English): Alternative form of mike
Ancestry of “mic”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | English | microfarad | One millionth of a farad, abbreviated as µF |
| 2 | English | micro- | API; Very small; One millionth |
| 3 | Ancient Greek | μικρο- | — |
| 4 | Ancient Greek | μικρός | little, small |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | mēy- | soft, tender, dear |