Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “pyrophorus” come from?

pyrophorus (English) comes from Translingual -phorus, from Ancient Greek -φόρος, from Ancient Greek φέρω, from Proto-Hellenic pʰérō, from Proto-Indo-European bʰéreti, from Proto-Indo-European bʰēr- — shiny, light brown.

pyrophorus (English): a substance capable of taking fire spontaneously...

Definitions

  1. a substance capable of taking fire spontaneously...

Ancestry of “pyrophorus”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Translingual-phorusUsed to form nouns naming organisms that seem to...
2Ancient Greek-φόρος-bearing, -carrying; carrying, bearing; bringing
3Ancient GreekφέρωI bring, bear, carry
4Proto-Hellenicpʰérōto bear
5Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰéretito be carrying
6Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰēr-shiny, light brown
Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰēr- →