Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “objective” come from?

Objective comes from French objectif, from Latin objectivus, derived from Latin iacio meaning "to throw," ultimately from Ancient Greek βέλος meaning "projectile."

objective (English): Of or relating to a material object, actual...

Definitions

  1. Of or relating to a material object, actual...

Ancestry of “objective”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Frenchobjectifobjective; objective; impartial; objective, goal,...
2Latinobjectivusobjective
3LatinobicioI throw or put to, towards, in front of or...
4Latinob-towards; against
5Latinobolusobolus
6Ancient Greekὀβολόςobol, obolus, used at Athens as both a weight and...
7Ancient Greekὀβελόςa spit, rod; a horizontal line
8Ancient Greekβέλοςmissile, arrow, dart; weapon; something quickly...
9Proto-Indo-EuropeangʷélHos—
10Proto-Indo-EuropeangʷelH-to throw, reach, pierce; to hit by throwing

Words derived from “objective”

  • objectivity
  • objectively
  • objectivist
  • multiobjective
  • objectivism
  • nonobjective
  • objectivation
  • objectiveness
  • objectivistic
  • objectivization
  • biobjective
  • unobjective
  • objectivize
  • nonobjectivity
  • nonobjectivist
  • objectivate
  • objectivistically
  • unobjectively
  • nonobjectivism
  • neo-objectivism
  • neo-Objectivist
  • objectivizer
  • unobjectiveness
  • triobjective
Every word from Proto-Indo-European gʷelH- →