Where does “elixir” come from?
elixir (Medieval Latin) comes from Arabic إكسير, from Classical Syriac ܟܣܝܪܝܢ, from Ancient Greek ξηρίον, from Ancient Greek ξηρός, from Proto-Indo-European kseros.
Ancestry of “elixir”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Arabic | إكسير | elixir |
| 2 | Classical Syriac | ܟܣܝܪܝܢ | — |
| 3 | Ancient Greek | ξηρίον | a desiccative powder for wounds |
| 4 | Ancient Greek | ξηρός | dry; The effects of being without water: parched,... |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | kseros | — |
Words derived from “elixir”