Where does “ivory” come from?
ivory (Middle English) comes from Middle English yvory, from Anglo-Norman ivurie, from Latin eboreus, from Latin ebur, from Demotic yb, from Egyptian ꜣbw, from Egyptian ꜣb, from Proto-Afroasiatic *leb-.
ivory (Middle English): Alternative form of yvory
Definitions
- Alternative form of yvory
Ancestry of “ivory”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle English | yvory | ivory; Made of ivory |
| 2 | Anglo-Norman | ivurie | — |
| 3 | Latin | eboreus | ivory |
| 4 | Latin | ebur | ivory; a thing made of ivory; an elephant |
| 5 | Demotic | yb | ivory, Elephantine |
| 6 | Egyptian | ꜣbw | cessation; elephant; elephant tusk |
| 7 | Egyptian | ꜣb | to stop, to take a break; to cease or stop; to... |
| 8 | Proto-Afroasiatic | *leb- | — |