Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “recycling” come from?

Recycling derives from English recycle, which combines English bi- (from Latin bi-, meaning "twice") and English cycle (from Latin cyclus, from Ancient Greek κύκλος, meaning "circle" or "wheel").

recycling (English): The practice of sorting and collecting waste...

Definitions

  1. The practice of sorting and collecting waste...

Ancestry of “recycling”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishrecycleTo break down and reuse component materials; To...
2Englishre-again, anew; a completive or intensification of...
3Middle Englishre-—
4Old Frenchre-re-
5Latinrĕ-—
6Latinprōdūcō—
7Latinprō-—
8Proto-Italic*pro-—
9Proto-Indo-Europeanpro-toward, forward
10Proto-Indo-Europeanpor-to give birth; forward, through; going, passage
11Proto-Indo-Europeanper-before, in front; first; to go through
12Proto-Indo-Europeanpr̥tóspassed , crossed

Words derived from “recycling”

  • nonrecycling
  • antirecycling
  • рисайклинг
Every word from Proto-Indo-European pr̥tós →