Where does “syntax” come from?

Syntax comes from French syntaxe, from Ancient Greek σύνταξις, from Ancient Greek τάξις meaning arrangement or order, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European roots related to putting or setting in place.

syntax (English): A set of rules that govern how words are combined...

Definitions

  1. A set of rules that govern how words are combined...

Ancestry of “syntax”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Latinsyntaxissyntaxis, syntax
2Ancient Greekσύνταξιςan arranging, putting in order; array,...
3Ancient Greekσυντάσσωarrange together”, “to order
4Ancient Greekσῠν-together; with, together
5Ancient Greekσύνbeside, with
6Proto-Hellenic*ksúnbeside, with

Words derived from “syntax”

Every word from Proto-Hellenic *ksún →Every word from Ancient Greek σῠν- →Every word from Ancient Greek σύν →