Where does “paean” come from?
paean (Latin) comes from Ancient Greek παιᾱ́ν, from Ancient Greek παίω, from Proto-Indo-European *p(y)eh₂w-.
Ancestry of “paean”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Ancient Greek | παιᾱ́ν | chant, song of praise; a chant or song,... |
| 2 | Ancient Greek | παίω | I strike, hit; I strike against or upon; I devour |
| 3 | Proto-Indo-European | *p(y)eh₂w- | — |