Where does “ether” come from?
ether (Middle Dutch) comes from Latin aethēr, from Ancient Greek Αἰθήρ, from Ancient Greek αἴθω, from Proto-Hellenic *áitʰō.
Ancestry of “ether”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Latin | aethēr | — |
| 2 | Ancient Greek | Αἰθήρ | Upper Air |
| 3 | Ancient Greek | αἴθω | To ignite, kindle, light; To burn, blaze |
| 4 | Proto-Hellenic | *áitʰō | — |