Where does “psalm” come from?
Psalm comes from Middle English salm, which derives from Old French psalm, from Latin psalmus, from Greek psalmos meaning "song sung to a harp."
psalm (English): A sacred song; a poetical composition for use in...
Definitions
- A sacred song; a poetical composition for use in...
Ancestry of “psalm”, step by step
psalm traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Middle English salm
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | salm | A psalm hymn in the |
| 2 | Old English | psealm | psalm |
| 3 | Latin | psalmus | psalm |
| 4 | Ancient Greek | ψαλμός | twitching or twanging with the fingers; sound of... |
| 5 | Ancient Greek | ψάλλω | to twitch; to make a sound by striking, touching,... |
| 6 | Ancient Greek | ψάω | to touch lightly, rub, wipe, rub smooth; to... |
via Old French psalme
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old French | psalme | — |