Where does “atom” come from?
atom (Polish) comes from French atome, from Middle French athome, 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 (Polish): atom
Definitions
- atom
Ancestry of “atom”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | French | atome | atom; scrap, jot, iota, whit |
| 2 | Middle French | athome | atom |
| 3 | Latin | atomus | indivisible; an atom, particle incapable of being... |
| 4 | Ancient Greek | ἄτομος | uncut; indivisible, not capable of being... |
| 5 | Ancient Greek | ἀ- | The alpha privativum, used to make words that... |
| 6 | Proto-Hellenic | hə- | same; together |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | sm̥- | one; with, together |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | sem- | together, one |