English
Hydra
Hydra comes from Ancient Greek ὕδρα ‘the constellation Hydra’, from Proto-Indo-European *údreh₂ ‘aquatic’, and ultimately from *wed- ‘water’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*wed-‘water’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*údreh₂‘aquatic’reconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEὕδραhúdra‘the constellation Hydra’
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEHydra
- Englishearliest quotation 2021same form
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*wed-‘water’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*údreh₂‘aquatic’reconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEὕδραhúdra‘the constellation Hydra’
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEHydra
- Englishearliest quotation 2021same form
Earliest quotation: 2021, A. K. Blakemore, The Manningtree Witches: “At night I lie dry-eyed on my little bed…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *wed- ‘water’
water, wet, wash, und, abundance, vodka, surround, abundant, redundant, otter, vitriol, hydro, vitreous, inundate, undine, aldehyde, hydride, vedra, 45 more
Today it means
name A mythological serpent with many heads, slain by Hercules as one of his twelve labours.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *wed- / Hydra