Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “phantom” come from?

Phantom comes from Middle English fantom, from Old French fantosme, from Latin phantasma, from Ancient Greek φάντασμα, derived from the verb φαντάζω meaning to make visible, ultimately from φαίνω meaning to show or appear.

phantom (English): A ghost or apparition; Something apparently seen,...

Definitions

  1. A ghost or apparition; Something apparently seen,...

Ancestry of “phantom”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishfantome—
2Old Frenchfantosmeghost
3Latinphantasmaimage, appearance; apparition, spectre, phantom
4Ancient Greekφάντασμαphantom, apparition, ghost; vision, dream;...
5Ancient Greekφαντάζωto show; to make visible; to place before one's...
6Ancient GreekφαίνωI cause to appear, bring to light; I show,...
7English-typeimpressed form; stamp; print; typical form; Used...
8Ancient GreekτύποςA blow, pressing; The results of a blow: mark,...
9Ancient Greekτύπτωto beat, strike, smite; to beat, strike oneself
10Proto-Indo-European(s)tewp-to push, to stick
11Proto-Indo-European(s)tew-to push, to hit

Words derived from “phantom”

  • phantomlike
  • phantosmia
  • phantomic
  • phantomwise
  • phantomize
  • phantomization
  • fantom
  • fantomo
Every word from Proto-Indo-European (s)tew- →