Where does “rhetoric” come from?
Rhetoric comes from Old French rhetorique, from Latin rhetorica, from Ancient Greek ῥητορική, derived from ῥήτωρ meaning "orator" or "speaker," ultimately from Proto-Indo-European ser-.
rhetoric (English): Synonym of rhetorical; The art of using language,...
Definitions
- Synonym of rhetorical; The art of using language,...
Ancestry of “rhetoric”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | German | Rhetorik | rhetoric |
| 2 | Middle High German | rhetorica | — |
| 3 | Latin | rhētorica | rhetoric |
| 4 | Latin | rhētoricus | rhetorical, of or pertaining to rhetoric or a rhetoritician |
| 5 | Ancient Greek | ῥητορικός | concerning public speaking or oration, rhetorical |
| 6 | Ancient Greek | ῥήτωρ | orator, public speaker; politician, statesman;... |
| 7 | Ancient Greek | εἴρω | I tie, join, fasten, string together; I insert;... |
| 8 | Proto-Hellenic | wéřřō | to say, to tell |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | wéryeti | to be saying |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | werh₁- | to speak, say |