Where does “tonotopy” come from?

tonotopy (English) comes from English tono-, from Ancient Greek τόνος, from Proto-Hellenic tónos, from Proto-Indo-European tónos, from Proto-Indo-European ten- — to stretch, to extend.

tonotopy (English): The spatial arrangement of the processing of sounds of different frequencies within the auditory system

Definitions

  1. The spatial arrangement of the processing of sounds of different frequencies within the auditory system

Ancestry of “tonotopy”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Englishtono-tone, tension or pressure
2Ancient Greekτόνοςrope, cord; chord; tone, note
3Proto-Hellenictónosrope, cord; tension
4Proto-Indo-Europeantónossomething stretched; chord, fiber, string
5Proto-Indo-Europeanten-to stretch, to extend
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ten- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European tónos →Every word from Proto-Hellenic tónos →
tonotopy — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer