Where does “neophyte” come from?
Neophyte comes from Latin neophytus, from Ancient Greek νεόφυτος, combining νέο- (new) and φυτόν (plant), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European bʰuH- (to grow).
neophyte (English): A beginner; a person who is new to a subject,...
Definitions
- A beginner; a person who is new to a subject,...
Ancestry of “neophyte”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Latin | neophytus | newly-planted; newly-converted to Christianity;... |
| 2 | Ancient Greek | νεόφυτος | newly planted |
| 3 | Ancient Greek | νεο- | new |
| 4 | Ancient Greek | νέος | young; youthful; new, fresh |
| 5 | Latin | fēlēs | cat |
| 6 | Hungarian | fél | to fear, to be afraid of something; to fear... |
| 7 | Proto-Uralic | pide | tall |
| 8 | Finnish | pitää | to hold, grasp, grip; to keep, take; to like, be... |
| 9 | Proto-Finnic | pitädäk | to hold, to grasp; to keep |
| 10 | Proto-Finno-Ugric | pitä- | — |