Where does “pistol” come from?
pistol (Old English) comes from Latin epistola, from Ancient Greek ἐπιστολή, from Ancient Greek ἐπιστέλλω, from Ancient Greek ἐπί, from Ancient Greek Ἡμέρα, from Ancient Greek ἦμαρ, from Proto-Hellenic ā́mər, from Proto-Indo-European h₂eh₃mr̥ — to be hot; to burn.
pistol (Old English): letter, epistle
Definitions
- letter, epistle
Ancestry of “pistol”, step by step
pistol traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Latin epistola
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Latin | epistola | a letter, epistle; a written imperial decree |
| 2 | Ancient Greek | ἐπιστολή | message, letter; command, commission, injunction;... |
| 3 | Ancient Greek | ἐπιστέλλω | I send to, inform by letter/message; I order,... |
| 4 | Ancient Greek | ἐπί | as well, besides; For usage in composition, see... |
| 5 | Ancient Greek | Ἡμέρα | — |
| 6 | Ancient Greek | ἦμαρ | day; by day; midday |
| 7 | Proto-Hellenic | ā́mər | day |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂eh₃mr̥ | heat |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂eh₃- | to be hot; to burn |
via Late Latin epistola
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Late Latin | epistola | a letter, epistle; a written imperial decree |