Where does “symphony” come from?
Symphony derives from Old French simphonie, from Latin symphonia, from Ancient Greek συμφωνία meaning agreement of sounds, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European sem-.
symphony (English): An extended piece of music of sophisticated...
Definitions
- An extended piece of music of sophisticated...
Ancestry of “symphony”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | symphonye | A device used to produce music, especially a... |
| 2 | Old French | simphonie | — |
| 3 | Latin | symphonia | an agreement of sounds; a harmony, symphony; a... |
| 4 | Ancient Greek | συμφωνία | agreement in sound, symphony; accord, concord;... |
| 5 | Ancient Greek | -ῐ́ᾱ | {{l|en|-ia}}; "suffix forming abstract feminine... |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | -íh₂ | — |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | -h₂ | Creates collective nouns, which refer to groups... |