Where does “type” come from?
Type comes from Middle English type, from Latin typus, from Ancient Greek τύπος (túpos), from the verb τύπτω (túptō, to strike), ultimately deriving from Proto-Indo-European (s)tewp- and (s)tew-, both meaning to strike or push.
type (English): A grouping based on shared characteristics; a...
Definitions
- A grouping based on shared characteristics; a...
Ancestry of “type”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | type | symbol, figure, emblem |
| 2 | Latin | typus | figure, image; type, form, sort, kind; form,... |
| 3 | Ancient Greek | τύπος | A blow, pressing; The results of a blow: mark,... |
| 4 | Ancient Greek | τύπτω | to beat, strike, smite; to beat, strike oneself |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | (s)tewp- | to push, to stick |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | (s)tew- | to push, to hit |