Where does “syllable” come from?
syllable (Middle English) comes from Anglo-Norman sillable, from Old French sillebe, from Latin syllaba, from Ancient Greek συλλαβή, from Ancient Greek συλλαμβάνω, from Ancient Greek σῠν-, from Ancient Greek σύν, from Proto-Hellenic *ksún — beside, with.
Ancestry of “syllable”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Anglo-Norman | sillable | syllable |
| 2 | Old French | sillebe | — |
| 3 | Latin | syllaba | syllable; poems, verses |
| 4 | Ancient Greek | συλλαβή | conception, pregnancy; that which holds together,... |
| 5 | Ancient Greek | συλλαμβάνω | I collect, gather; I rally; I take hold of,... |
| 6 | Ancient Greek | σῠν- | together; with, together |
| 7 | Ancient Greek | σύν | beside, with |
| 8 | Proto-Hellenic | *ksún | beside, with |