etymon

[ et-uh-mon ]

noun

, plural et·y·mons, et·y·ma [et, -, uh, -m, uh].

1. the linguistic form from which another form is historically derived, as the Latin cor “heart,” which is the etymon of English cordial, or the Indo-European *ḱ ( e ) rd-, which is the etymon of Latin cor, Greek kardía, Russian serdtse, and English heart.

etymon

/ ˈɛtɪˌmɒn /

noun

1. a form of a word or morpheme, usually the earliest recorded form or a reconstructed form, from which another word or morpheme is derived: the etymon of English "ewe" is Indo-European " * owi"

Word History and Origins

Origin of etymon¹

1560–70; < Latin: the origin of a word < Greek étymon the essential meaning of a word seen in its origin or traced to its grammatical parts (neuter of étymos true, actual, real)

Word History and Origins

Origin of etymon¹

C16: via Latin, from Greek etumon basic meaning, from etumos true, actual

Example Sentences

The old French vairon signifies anything of two colours, and may possibly be the etymon of vaire.

From Project Gutenberg

I cannot admit any of these derivations, though perhaps my own etymon may not be deemed less irrelevant, viz.

From Project Gutenberg

Were, wert; worth, werth; word and werde, are derived from the same etymon and retain a similarity of meaning.

From Project Gutenberg

I am inclined to think, with the two first-mentioned lexicographers, that the etymon is πόσις, or potio.

From Project Gutenberg

Will you accept a French elucidation of the etymon of this word, which has sorely puzzled your correspondents?

From Project Gutenberg