Etymology Explorer › German

Where does “Timbre” come from?

Timbre (German) comes from French timbre, from Old French timbre, from Latin tympanum, from Ancient Greek τύμπανον, from Ancient Greek τύπτω, from Proto-Indo-European (s)tewp-, from Proto-Indo-European (s)tew- — to push, to hit.

Timbre (German): timbre

Definitions

  1. timbre

Ancestry of “Timbre”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Frenchtimbresmall bell; stamp, postage stamp; stamp
2Old Frenchtimbretimbrel
3Latintympanumdrum, timbrel, tambour, tambourine
4Ancient Greekτύμπανονdrum, kettledrum; drumstick, staff, cudgel;...
5Ancient Greekτύπτωto beat, strike, smite; to beat, strike oneself
6Proto-Indo-European(s)tewp-to push, to stick
7Proto-Indo-European(s)tew-to push, to hit
Every word from Proto-Indo-European (s)tew- →