Where does “monotone” come from?
monotone (Norwegian Nynorsk) comes from Norwegian Nynorsk monoton, from Ancient Greek μονότονος, from Ancient Greek τόνος, from Proto-Hellenic tónos, from Proto-Indo-European tónos, from Proto-Indo-European ten- — to stretch, to extend.
monotone (Norwegian Nynorsk): definite singular of monoton; plural of monoton
Definitions
- definite singular of monoton; plural of monoton
Ancestry of “monotone”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Norwegian Nynorsk | monoton | monotonous |
| 2 | Ancient Greek | μονότονος | monotone |
| 3 | Ancient Greek | τόνος | rope, cord; chord; tone, note |
| 4 | Proto-Hellenic | tónos | rope, cord; tension |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | tónos | something stretched; chord, fiber, string |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | ten- | to stretch, to extend |