Where does “symbolism” come from?
Symbolism derives from English symbol plus the suffix -ism, ultimately from Ancient Greek σύμβολον meaning "sign" or "token," formed from σύν "together" and βάλλω "to throw."
symbolism (English): Representation of a concept through symbols or...
Definitions
- Representation of a concept through symbols or...
Ancestry of “symbolism”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | English | symbol | A character or glyph representing an idea,... |
| 2 | French | symbole | symbol |
| 3 | Latin | symbolum | symbol, token; creed |
| 4 | Ancient Greek | σύμβολον | a sign or token by which one infers a thing; a... |
| 5 | Ancient Greek | σῠμβάλλω | I throw together, dash together, compare,... |
| 6 | Ancient Greek | βάλλω | I throw, cast, hurl; I let fall; I strike, touch |
| 7 | Proto-Hellenic | *gʷəlnō | — |
Words derived from “symbolism”