Where does “polyglot” come from?
Polyglot comes from Ancient Greek πολύγλωττος, from πολύ- (many) and γλῶττα (tongue, language), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European pleh₁- (to fill).
polyglot (English): Versed in, or speaking, many languages;...
Definitions
- Versed in, or speaking, many languages;...
Ancestry of “polyglot”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ancient Greek | πολύγλωττος | many-tongued, polyglot |
| 2 | Ancient Greek | γλῶττα | Attic form of γλῶσσα |
| 3 | Ancient Greek | γλῶσσα | a tongue; a language; the mouthpiece of a pipe |
| 4 | Old Norse | glotta | to grin, smile scornfully |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | glutōną | To stare; gawk |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | ǵʰel- | to shine, glimmer, glow; to shimmer, gleam;... |