Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “pandemonium” come from?

pandemonium (English) comes from English Pan-, from Ancient Greek πᾶν, from Ancient Greek ὀπτικός, from Ancient Greek ὄψις, from Ancient Greek ὄψ, from Proto-Hellenic wókʷs, from Proto-Indo-European wekʷ- — to speak, to sound out.

pandemonium (English): A place where all demons live; Hell; Chaos;...

Definitions

  1. A place where all demons live; Hell; Chaos;...

Ancestry of “pandemonium”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishPan-—
2Ancient Greekπᾶνneuter nominative singular of πᾶς; neuter...
3Ancient Greekὀπτικόςof or relating to seeing, sight or vision: optic,...
4Ancient Greekὄψιςview
5Ancient Greekὄψvoice; word; eye, face
6Proto-Hellenicwókʷs—
7Proto-Indo-Europeanwekʷ-to speak, to sound out
Every word from Proto-Indo-European wekʷ- →