Where does “nephrite” come from?
nephrite (English) comes from Ancient Greek νεφρῖτις, from Ancient Greek νεφρός, from Proto-Hellenic *nekʷʰrós, from Proto-Indo-European negʷʰrós — kidney.
nephrite (English): A semi-precious stone, one of the two types of...
Definitions
- A semi-precious stone, one of the two types of...
Ancestry of “nephrite”, step by step
nephrite traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Ancient Greek νεφρῖτις
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ancient Greek | νεφρῖτις | a disease of the kidney |
| 2 | Ancient Greek | νεφρός | kidney; testicle; mind |
| 3 | Proto-Hellenic | *nekʷʰrós | kidney |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | negʷʰrós | kidney |
via Latin lapis nephriticus
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Latin | lapis nephriticus | — |
| 2 | Ancient Greek | λίθος | a stone; stone as a substance |