Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “television” come from?

television (English) comes from French télévision, from German Television, from Italian televisione, from Spanish televisión, from Spanish tele-, from Ancient Greek τῆλε, from Latin commūnicāre, from Latin commūnis — to bend; curve; arch; vault; to bow, bend, arch,...

Ancestry of “television”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Frenchtélévisiontelevision
2GermanTelevision—
3Italiantelevisionetelevision
4Spanishtelevisióntelevision
5Spanishtele-tele-
6Ancient Greekτῆλεfar off, afar, far away
7Latincommūnicāre—
8Latincommūnis—
9Old Latincom(m)oinis—
10Proto-Italickommoinis—
11Proto-Indo-Europeanḱom-moy-ni-held in common
12Proto-Indo-Europeanḱómbeside, near, by, with
13Proto-Indo-EuropeanḱeDeictic particle, here; Post-positional...
14Middle Englishkyt—
15Germankitt—
16Old High Germankuti—
17Proto-West Germanickwidugum, resin
18Proto-Germanickweduzresin
19Proto-Indo-Europeangʷet-resin, gum; to say, speak
20Proto-Indo-Europeangū-to bend; curve; arch; vault; to bow, bend, arch,...
Every word from Proto-Indo-European gū- →