Where does “onyx” come from?
Onyx comes from Middle English onix and oniche, from Old French oniche, from Latin onyx, from Ancient Greek ὄνυξ, from Proto-Indo-European h₃nogʰ-.
onyx (English): A banded variety of chalcedony, a...
Definitions
- A banded variety of chalcedony, a...
Ancestry of “onyx”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle English | onix | Alternative form of oniche |
| 2 | Old French | oniche | — |
| 3 | Latin | onyx | onyx, yellow marble; A yellowish precious stone;... |
| 4 | Ancient Greek | ὄνυξ | claw, nail, hoof, talon; Anything which resembles... |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | h₃nogʰ- | claw, nail; nail |