Where does “atom” come from?
atom (Old Irish) comes from Latin atomus, from Ancient Greek ἄτομος, from Ancient Greek ἀ-, from Proto-Hellenic hə-, from Proto-Indo-European sm̥-, from Proto-Indo-European sem- — together, one.
atom (Old Irish): atom, mote
Definitions
- atom, mote
Ancestry of “atom”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Latin | atomus | indivisible; an atom, particle incapable of being... |
| 2 | Ancient Greek | ἄτομος | uncut; indivisible, not capable of being... |
| 3 | Ancient Greek | ἀ- | The alpha privativum, used to make words that... |
| 4 | Proto-Hellenic | hə- | same; together |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | sm̥- | one; with, together |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | sem- | together, one |