Where does “ontology” come from?
Ontology comes from Latin ontologia, derived from Ancient Greek ὤν (being, present participle of εἰμί, to be), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European h₁es- (to be).
ontology (English): The branch of metaphysics that addresses the...
Definitions
- The branch of metaphysics that addresses the...
Ancestry of “ontology”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Latin | ontologia | — |
| 2 | Ancient Greek | ὄντος | masculine genitive singular of ὤν , present... |
| 3 | Ancient Greek | ὤν | present participle of εἰμί; actual, real |
| 4 | Ancient Greek | εἰμί | To be, exist; live; To be; it is possible |
| 5 | Proto-Hellenic | ehmi | to be |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | h₁ésmi | first-person singular present indicative of... |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | h₁ēs- | to be |