Etymograph

English

Medusa

Medusa comes from Ancient Greek Μέδουσα, from μέδω ‘rule over’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *med- ‘to measure, limit, consider, advise’.

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*med-‘to measure, limit, consider, advise’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*méd-e-tireconstructed
  3. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEμέδωmédō‘rule over’
  4. Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEΜέδουσαMédousa
  5. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEMedūsa
  6. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500Medusa
  7. Englishearliest quotation 2000same form

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*med-‘to measure, limit, consider, advise’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*méd-e-tireconstructed
  3. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEμέδωmédō‘rule over’
  4. Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEΜέδουσαMédousa
  5. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEMedūsa
  6. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500Medusa
  7. Englishearliest quotation 2000same form

Earliest quotation: 2000, Nannó Marinatos: “It will be suggested here that the myth of…”

Linked words

through Proto-Indo-European *med- ‘to measure, limit, consider, advise’

must, model, modern, medical, mode, mood, medicine, mud, medication, modification, mold, module, meditation, mould, blackmail, remedy, med, medicinal, modal, modulation, medic, meditate, modicum, mote, modulate, modus, modulus, modifiable, mete, modulo, 31 more

Today it means

name The youngest and only mortal of the three gorgon sisters, killed by Perseus.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *med- / Medusa

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