Where does “polyphony” come from?
Polyphony comes from Ancient Greek πολύς meaning "many" via Proto-Indo-European polh₁ús and pleh₁-, both relating to abundance or fullness.
polyphony (English): Musical texture consisting of several independent...
Definitions
- Musical texture consisting of several independent...
Ancestry of “polyphony”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ancient Greek | πολυφωνία | variety of tones |
| 2 | Ancient Greek | πολῠ- | many; much, a lot |
| 3 | Ancient Greek | πολύς | many, a lot of; neuter πολύ or πολλά as... |
| 4 | Ancient Greek | πόρος | a means of passage, passageway, way, opening;... |
| 5 | Ancient Greek | πείρω | I pierce, run through; I cleave through |
| 6 | Proto-Hellenic | *péryō | — |