Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “monkhood” come from?

monkhood (English) comes from Middle English monkehode, from Old English munuchād, from Old English munuc, from Latin monachus, from Ancient Greek μοναχός, from Ancient Greek μόνος, from Ancient Greek σπέρμα, from Proto-Hellenic *spérmə.

monkhood (English): The state of being a monk; Monks collectively

Definitions

  1. The state of being a monk; Monks collectively

Ancestry of “monkhood”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishmonkehode—
2Old Englishmunuchād—
3Old Englishmunucmonk
4Latinmonachusmonk
5Ancient Greekμοναχόςsolitary, single; monk, monastic
6Ancient Greekμόνοςalone, forsaken, solitary; only; unique
7Ancient Greekσπέρμαseed; semen, sperm; seed-time, sowing
8Proto-Hellenic*spérmə—
Every word from Proto-Hellenic *spérmə →