English
K-theory
K-theory comes from German Klasse ‘class’, from Latin classis ‘any one of the five divisions into which…’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *kelh₁- ‘to call, shout’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*kelh₁-‘to call, shout’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*klh₁-d⁽ʰ⁾-ti-‘a call’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*klāssisreconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEclassis‘any one of the five divisions into which Servius Tullius divided the Roman citizenry’by way of French classe
- Germanc. 1650–presentKlasse‘class’
- Englishearliest quotation 1978K-theory
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*kelh₁-‘to call, shout’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*klh₁-d⁽ʰ⁾-ti-‘a call’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*klāssisreconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEclassis‘any one of the five divisions into which Servius Tullius divided the Roman citizenry’by way of French classe
- Germanc. 1650–presentKlasse‘class’
- Englishearliest quotation 1978K-theory
Earliest quotation: 1978, Michiel Hazewinkel, Formal Groups and Applications: “The theory of formal groups has found a number…”
The story
The theory developed out of algebraic geometry after the 1957 publication of work by German-born French mathematician Alexander Grothendieck.disputed Scholars disagree here; the competing view is quoted as the source gives it.
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *kelh₁- ‘to call, shout’
low, clear, claim, hell, calendar, declare, claire, clarity, haul, reconciliation, clarification, reconcile, proclamation, reclamation, clarinet, exclamation, clarion, squeal, claret, irreconcilable, clamour, clamor, ecclesiastic, ecclesial, conciliar, 35 more
through Proto-Italic *klāssis
through Latin classis ‘any one of the five divisions into which…’
Today it means
noun The study of rings R generated by the set of vector bundles over some topological space or scheme;
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *kelh₁- / K-theory