Where does “tetragraph” come from?
tetragraph (English) comes from English graph, from Ancient Greek γράφω, from Proto-Hellenic grəpʰō, from Proto-Indo-European gerbʰ-, from Proto-Indo-European ger- — to turn, bend, twist, wind; to tie, bind...
tetragraph (English): A group of four letters
Definitions
- A group of four letters
Ancestry of “tetragraph”, step by step
tetragraph traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English graph
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | graph | A data chart intended to illustrate the... |
| 2 | Ancient Greek | γράφω | to scratch, cut into; to draw, sketch, paint; to... |
| 3 | Proto-Hellenic | grəpʰō | to scratch, cut or carve into |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | gerbʰ- | to carve |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | ger- | to turn, bend, twist, wind; to tie, bind... |
via English tetra
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | tetra | Any of numerous species of small South American... |
| 2 | Translingual | Tetragonopterus | — |
| 3 | Ancient Greek | πτερόν | feather; wing; Any winged creature |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | péth₂r̥ | wing; feather |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | peth₂- | to spread out; to fly |