Where does “syllable” come from?
Syllable comes from Middle English sillable, from Anglo-Norman sillable, from Latin syllaba, ultimately from Ancient Greek λαμβάνω meaning to take or grasp.
syllable (English): A unit of human speech that is interpreted by the...
Definitions
- A unit of human speech that is interpreted by the...
Ancestry of “syllable”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | syllable | — |
| 2 | Anglo-Norman | sillable | syllable |
| 3 | Old French | sillebe | — |
| 4 | Latin | syllaba | syllable; poems, verses |
| 5 | Ancient Greek | συλλαβή | conception, pregnancy; that which holds together,... |
| 6 | Ancient Greek | συλλαμβάνω | I collect, gather; I rally; I take hold of,... |
| 7 | Ancient Greek | σῠν- | together; with, together |
| 8 | Ancient Greek | σύν | beside, with |
| 9 | Proto-Hellenic | *ksún | beside, with |