Where does “prehistory” come from?
Prehistory derives from English pre- plus history, which comes from Middle English historie, Latin historia (from Ancient Greek ἱστορία, originally meaning "inquiry" or "investigation"), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European roots meaning "to see" and "to know."
prehistory (English): History before written records, inclusive of...
Definitions
- History before written records, inclusive of...
Ancestry of “prehistory”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | History | The aggregate of past events, both unrecorded and recorded |
| 2 | Middle English | historie | A narrative, recounting, or chronicle; events in... |
| 3 | Old French | historie | — |
| 4 | Latin | historia | history; account; story |
| 5 | Ancient Greek | ἱστορία | inquiry, examination, systematic observation,... |
| 6 | Ancient Greek | ἱστορέω | to inquire, ask; to examine, observe; to record,... |
| 7 | Ancient Greek | ἵστωρ | one who knows law and right, judge; witness; a... |
| 8 | Proto-Hellenic | wístōr | — |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | wéydtōr | one who has seen, one who knows |
| 10 | Indo-European | *weyd- | — |