Where does “opal” come from?
Opal comes from French opale, from Latin opalus, from Byzantine Greek ὀπάλλιος, from Sanskrit उपल, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European upér meaning above or over.
opal (English): A mineral consisting, like quartz, of silica, but...
Definitions
- A mineral consisting, like quartz, of silica, but...
Ancestry of “opal”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | French | opale | opal |
| 2 | Latin | opalus | opal |
| 3 | Byzantine Greek | ὀπάλλιος | opal |
| 4 | Sanskrit | उपल | stone; gem, stone |
| 5 | Sanskrit | उपरि | over; above; beyond |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-Aryan | upári | — |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-Iranian | upári | above, over |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | upér | above; over |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | upó | under, below |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | h₃ewp- | — |