Where does “polemics” come from?
Polemics derives from French polémique, from Ancient Greek πολεμικός meaning "of or pertaining to war," formed from πόλεμος "war" plus the adjectival suffix -ικός, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European -kos.
polemics (English): plural of polemic; The art or practice of making...
Definitions
- plural of polemic; The art or practice of making...
Ancestry of “polemics”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | English | polemic | A person who writes in support of one opinion,... |
| 2 | French | polémique | polemic, controversy; polemic; controversial |
| 3 | Ancient Greek | πολεμικός | warlike, bellicose; hostile |
| 4 | Ancient Greek | -ικός | of or pertaining to, in the manner of; -ic |
| 5 | Ancient Greek | -κός | forms adjectives with the sense of 'of or... |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | -ḱos | -y, -ic |