Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “sine” come from?

Sine comes from Latin sinus, borrowed from Arabic جَيْب, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European gʷih₃-éh₂ meaning to live or be alive, with the sense shifting through Sanskrit ज्या and intermediate forms.

sine (English): In a right triangle, the ratio of the length of...

Definitions

  1. In a right triangle, the ratio of the length of...

Ancestry of “sine”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Latinsinusa hollow, cavity; curve, fold, winding; gulf, bay
2Arabicجَيْبpocket; opening in a garment; pocket; bosom, fold...
3Sanskritज्याbow-string, tendon; sine
4Sanskritजीवalive, living; life, existence; any living being,...
5Proto-Indo-Aryanȷ́iHwás—
6Proto-Indo-IranianǰiHwásalive
7Proto-Indo-Europeangʷih₃wósalive, living
8Proto-Indo-Europeangʷeih₃w-to live

Words derived from “sine”

  • sign
  • signing
  • cosine
  • signage
  • signer
  • signpost
  • signboard
  • cosigner
  • cosign
  • signoff
  • arcsin
  • arcsine
  • callsign
  • signless
  • nonsigning
  • arccos
  • signee
  • signwriter
  • stopsign
  • arccosine
  • legisign
  • nonsigner
  • signout
  • protosign
Every word from Proto-Indo-European gʷeih₃w- →