etymon

American  

[et-uh-mon] / ˈɛt əˌmɒn /

noun

etymons, plural etyma plural

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.

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etymon British  

/ 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"

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Etymology

Origin of etymon

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)

Example Sentences

The etymon is in old English wrestling�to have on the hip; to render an opponent powerless because tractionless.

From Time Magazine Archive

Your correspondent W. asks the etymon of "Cowley;"—probably "Cow leas," or Cow pasture.

From Notes and Queries, Number 07, December 15, 1849 by Various

Arena is from the same etymon, altered in application.

From Lectures on Language As Particularly Connected with English Grammar. by Balch, William Stevens

Another etymon for Jews-harp is Jaws-harp, because the place where it is played upon is between the jaws.

From Notes and Queries, Number 18, March 2, 1850 by Various

A pertinent instance will be found in the true etymon of Brytenwealda, given by Mr. Kemble in his chapter "On the Growth of the kingly Power."

From Notes and Queries, Number 27, May 4, 1850 by Various